Rivers Know This (ER 1984)
by Ellie 5192
Summary: [Updated] Rivers know this. There is no hurry. We shall get there. – A.A. Milne. "She's clutching at her stomach, rubbing gently as though to relieve the queasiness she's been feeling all week… He wants more than anything for this not to be about dodgy Chinese take away, and that's also a little bit scary." Howard Sheinfeld/Eve Sheridan. WIP.
1. Rivers Know This

_Drinks the other night had been as flirty as they'd ever been, and she isn't afraid to admit that the wall between them- the one of professionalism and being merely colleagues- had crumbled a little over a bottle of wine and a wonderful conversation._

_**Rivers Know This**_

…_There is no hurry. We shall get there. – A.A. Milne._

"Eve? You okay?"

She looks up from her place on the break-room couch, head buried in a pillow. It's only been a few minutes since she told him she was going to lie down, but as always he seems to notice there's more going on with her than she's letting on. It infuriates her that he knows her so well. It's also overwhelmingly touching.

He steps inside the door and closes it softly behind him, a questioning yet all-knowing look on his face.

Sitting up with a sigh, the front of her lab coat ruffled from where she's been lying on it, she pushes her hair out of her eyes and finally levels her gaze at him.

"You wanna talk about it?" he asks gently, reassuringly, as though he has the answer to every question she wants to ask.

"About what?" she asks dejectedly, pointedly not looking at him as he takes one step closer.

"About what's got you so glum. Yesterday you were practically skipping through the halls, and today your face is as long as Seabiscuit's"

She shoots a glare at him.

"A very pretty Seabiscuit, with fabulous hair"

She could almost laugh at his backpedalling, and the way he holds his hands up in acquiescence, his face looking as innocent as possible. She quirks the corner of her mouth to let him know he's not in trouble, but can't help sighing again as she loses all the wind from her sails.

"It's Robert"

He seems to understand immediately, and she's so grateful when he doesn't turn on his heal and leave her to her misery. Instead he takes a tentative step forward, and seems to make up his mind about something as he props himself on a chair right in front of her, their knees almost touching. He looks relaxed, but ready, as though he knows she's going to need to unload on him and he's preparing himself. She's still looking at her hands in her lap, but she sees all of this from the corner of her eye, and it's enough to lift her mood, if only a little bit. He really is a good man. Drinks the other night had been as flirty as they'd ever been, and she isn't afraid to admit that the wall between them- the one of professionalism and being merely colleagues- had crumbled a little over a bottle of wine and a wonderful conversation.

"He pulled out of a date?" he says softly.

"No. He pulled out of a relationship" she says, wringing her hands around the seam of her lab coat.

For a brief moment Howard is too stunned to say anything, his mouth popping open in pure shock. Only a few days ago Robert had to cancel plans with her because of schedule conflicts and Howard had been in the break room for the disappointing conversation. She finds it touching that he remembers. She doesn't blame Robert; her relationship with him wasn't perfect, but it had seemed happy. It was happy. Though they managed for quite a long time to find time for each other, the occasions of going out as a couple had lately been dwindling. She knows they weren't going to last forever, but she had thought they had a little more time left. She also knows she's been pulling away from the relationship in equal measure, but it doesn't stop the sting of rejection or the feeling that she's been left in the dark.

"What?" hisses Howard, finally able to speak, leaning towards her with a look of complete disbelief.

She nods.

"Mmm-hmm. This morning before my shift. He came by my place and gave me back the spare key. Told me he really cared for me, but that it just wasn't working out- he didn't feel it, whatever _it_ is"

Her voice is getting watery, and she can feel the sting of tears building in her eyes, and were it anyone else she'd feel self-conscious, but it's Howard, and for some reason that makes it okay.

"He's crazy!" says Howard immediately, his face suggesting he really believes that. She shakes her head. "Dumping a great gal like you? The man's certifiable"

He sounds truly outraged, and that helps her ego just a little bit.

"No he's not, Howard, he's right"

"No"

"Yes. Yes, he is" she says earnestly, looking right at him. "Look at us, look at the time" she adds, gesturing to the clock on the wall. "It's the middle of the night on a Friday and we're sitting in the emergency room, one guy has a broken leg and another has half his guts hanging out of a knife wound! I've been bled on, spat on, changed my shirt, washed my hands I don't even know how many times, and I won't be home until at least two in the morning… Howard, how can any man compete with all that?"

As always, her speech is animated and full of nuance. He can tell that she's not angry about the job; she's not even angry about the spit, though it was a decent shot almost right in her eye. No, she's upset that one part of her life that she loves has impacted so much on another part of her life that she maybe could have loved, if given the chance.

"Eve…"

"I mean, we didn't even live together. Here I am saying I want a baby, and I can't even get a relationship to reach the cohabitation stage"

"Eve, stop. Don't do this to yourself. You're an amazing woman. Any guy would have to be crazy not to want you"

"Well then you all must be crazy, because Robert was the longest relationship I've had since college, and I blew it"

"Hey now, don't you go bunching all of us in the same basket"

He's trying to add levity, she knows, but it's thought-provoking that he seems so offended by her off-handed remark. She's aware of their mutual respect. She might even call it an agreed level of flirting. But it never occurred to her that there was anything more between them, or that the attraction (and she's mature enough to call it that) might be indicative of deeper emotions. She likes Howard, certainly, and would like to think he likes her as a person in return. Of course, having just been dumped she's not willing to analyse herself further, aware that her emotions may be the result of a bruised ego more than anything.

"I'm sorry Howard. It's not Robert. It's me. It's not fair to blame him"

"But _he_ left _you_"

"And what other option did I give him? He was good enough to stay as long as he did"

"Nonsense"

"No, it's like we said that time- you remember? We said we'd just have to find someone who worked crazy hours like ours. But with all the crazy hours we work, where am I gonna find someone like that? It's a never-ending circle"

"Eve, don't think like that. You're still in shock, give it time. Take a break. Then worry about all that later"

She huffs out a breath again, pulling her abandoned pillow into her lap and hugging it close to her chest.

"You're right. I'm just going to lay off the dating for a while"

Howard immediately spins out of his chair and slumps on the couch next to her, which makes her smile a little bit. They've never been awkward about physical proximity, and so it doesn't feel strange when he lifts his arm and throws it around her shoulders, pulling her into his side in a pseudo-hug. She allows herself to go, still holding the pillow, and snuggles her head against the hollow of his shoulder. He rubs her arm a couple of times as comfort. She allows herself to lean on him, and tells herself he's only being a good friend.

"Eve, let me tell you, this defeatist attitude is worrying me"

"Well it's true"

"Why? You're a smart, successful, gorgeous woman; the world is at your feet. So this relationship didn't work out, so what? I've been divorced twice now, and that doesn't stop me looking for love"

"Yes, but Howard, you've already got your family… and I think we might be looking for different kinds of love"

He rolls his eyes at the way she deadpan snarks at him and tries not to smirk, shaking her shoulder in reproach, acknowledging the light humour in her comment.

"You know, the truth is, as much as I care for him, and as much as we had some great times, I'm not even that upset that I won't be with Robert anymore. Isn't that an awful thing to say?"

"Did you love him?" he asks softly, looking down at the top of her head.

She pauses for a moment, her eyes unfocused.

"No" she hums, and though it really doesn't surprise either of them, it still feels like a burden has been lifted. He can't know that Lois had asked her the same only a few days ago, or that her answer then had been less sure, but the fact that he's not surprised really says a lot.

"So what is it that you're really upset about?" he asks gently.

"Time, I guess. I just feel like I'm running out of it, and I've spent so long focussing on my career that I've left no time for all the other things I want in life"

"Eve, you know, life doesn't work by some magic formula with precise baking instructions and a buzzer set to go off every five years"

She grins into his shoulder at the incredulous tone of his voice.

"If you want a family so much, it will come. If you're open to love, it'll slap you in the face, just you watch. Maybe not this week, but one day you'll look back at this conversation and laugh at yourself"

"I hope you're right, Howard, I really do"

"Of course I'm right. I'm always right"

She playfully slaps his chest, and he holds her hand there in a tender show of support, which makes her smile again. He always has the infuriating ability to make her grin, even in the worst situations.

"Tell you what. Let's go out, you and me"

"What?" she whines, sitting up and out from under his arm.

"Yeah. Let's go to dinner after our shift. Have a drink. God knows you need it, and I don't mind being your drinking buddy; in fact I quite enjoy it"

"Really? You don't mind joining me while I drown my sorrows?"

"Not at all. God knows you've been there for me through enough crises. It's the least I can do"

"Well, I won't say no. I guess I could use some good company tonight"

"I'm good company?" he asks playfully, standing up and grinning down at her.

"No, but Thor has to go home, so I guess you'll do" she quips, joining him in standing and smiling at him. He pretends to be outraged, which only makes her smile more.

"You wound me, Eve"

"You should be used to it by now"

She goes to step around him, but he suddenly steps in front of her and wraps his arms around her in a friendly hug. She stiffens for a moment before wholeheartedly returning it.

"You'll be just fine" he says softly.

All she can do is nod against him and swallow the lump that is again forming in her throat. For someone who can send her into a rage so easily, he has a way of catching her off-guard with his moments of warmth. They pull apart and smile at each other, their hands lingering. It feels too personal, and she pulls away, feeling better than she did earlier.

They're walking towards the door when they hear sirens in the distance and Maria shouting about incoming patients. With a final look between them they snap back into business mode and rush into the E/R. It's only later that Eve realises that for the rest of the night her private thoughts were focused not on her breakup, but on the dinner she was to share with Howard. She wants to feel bad about that. She doesn't.

_A/N: This is the first story I've ever written for a comedy show or sitcom. I struggled with finding the right tone to stay true to both the characters and the mood of the show itself, without a laughing audience to guide the action. Any feedback about how I did would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, my loyal readers :)_


	2. Sure Of You

"_Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. _

_"Pooh?" he whispered._

_"Yes, Piglet?"_

_"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's hand. "I just wanted to be sure of you." _

― _A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh_

_Perhaps he's a rebound, or perhaps they were always headed here, but either way it doesn't matter. He's standing in front of her now, asking her to give him permission; asking her to let go long enough to find out what this can be._

_**Sure Of You**_

"It's sad to think that _you're_ the man I can most count on in my life"

He shoots her a look, but smiles all the same. They've both almost finished their meals, though neither of them is really eating anymore. They've been drinking steadily, but he can see she's not drunk, and he's glad for that, because pouring them both into a cab in the middle of the night is not something he's looking forward to. Their earlier conversation from the break room lingers between them, and the air practically sizzles as they try to ignore the tension. He'd like to think he's above petty crushes, but he's starting to see that maybe he's had one on her all along, and maybe she's much the same. She's looking at him now with a fondness that's become familiar, and he wonders when it was he stopped noticing the ease with which they opened up to each other. It used to be rare that they would confide in one another. Now it's become a normal, welcomed facet of their relationship.

"You know Howard, when you're not driving me crazy, you're actually kind of sweet"

"Eve, please, someone might hear you and my reputation would be in ruins"

She grins at him and takes another sip of her wine, half shrugging as though she's merely pointing out an unwelcome thunderstorm.

"It's true. You're a good man, all jokes aside"

"You're not so bad yourself"

She smiles at him, and he smiles back, keeping the flirtation to a minimum. He remembers the early days, when he found her rule adherence more annoying than cute; when her constant nagging was grating rather than fun. He can't remember what it feels like to not enjoy her company, though they didn't start as particularly close friends. He also remembers her stumbling over herself when she though he'd asked her out, and wonders how different she might react if he asked again now.

"Why can't I find a guy like you? I mean the good parts about you"

He gives her another look. She's tipsy, and very cute for being so, but so earnest that he can't call her out on it. He knows he's not much better.

"You know, the nice you, without the smoking and gambling, and the shady business in my E/R"

"Ahh, but that's all just part of my charm"

"And without that smart mouth"

He simply grins at her, practically shining in her praise.

"You should be so lucky" he says, tossing his head back with false bravado, making her smile. They make a sport out of annoying each other, and he knows her well enough now to see that she enjoys it as much as he does. He smiles at her and tosses his napkin on the table, gesturing discretely for the check.

"Oh, no, Howard, I'll pay mine"

"Don't be ridiculous. I asked you out, I'll pay"

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely"

She wants to argue, but can tell from his honest expression that he'll hear none of it, so lets him have his chivalry. She smiles at him in a sheepish way that he's come to identify as her self-conscious side.

He helps her into her coat once their table is clear and they're ready to go, his hands lingering on her shoulders as she quietly thanks him. The moment between them is almost sobering, but he gestures to the door and the awkwardness is gone. They stand just outside the restaurant door waiting for their cab, hand in pockets, trying not to let this wonderful night end on an uncomfortable note.

He watches her as she gently sways side to side on the spot, staring at the stars which, even in the big city, are shining bright in the sky, not a cloud to be seen. He lights a cigar from his pocket, slowly blowing the smoke into the air, careful not to let it get too close to her. He knows it might bother her.

"What a beautiful night" she says softly.

"Yeah" he hums. He only realises he's still staring at her when she stops her swaying and gives him a funny look, almost catching him at something that might not be proper. He shrugs it off and looks up to the sky, taking another breath of smoke.

"If only I could ask _you_ out" she says wistfully, almost talking to herself. "That would make this so much easier"

"You could" he says.

They both seem to realise he's only half joking, but she wishes he was teasing her, and so she laughs at him to try and bring the conversation back into the zone it was in earlier. The last thing she needs is for her feelings for Howard Sheinfeld- whatever they may be- to be added to her current emotional upheaval.

"So what, _we_ start dating?" she says with an incredulous grin, her eyebrows raised, shaking her head as she looks back to the stars. He stops and really thinks for a moment, before finally making up his mind and tossing the last dreg of his cigar into the gutter.

"Well why don't we?"

"Why don't we what?" she asks, off in her own world.

"You and me"

She snaps her eyes back to his so fast it almost feels like a physical blow. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Why?"

"_Why_? Howard, we'd kill each other! Not to mention we work together"

"So?"

"So I don't date co-workers; it never ends well"

"Who says it would end?"

She laughs at him, not believing that he's being so adamant about something she thought they had agreed not to talk about. She refuses to acknowledge that part of her is glad that he's taking the first step, and doesn't stop to realise that her excuses are all conquerable if they put the effort in. Her laughter dies almost as soon as it begins.

"You're serious. Howard, you can't be serious"

"Are you telling me you haven't at least thought about it?"

"I know it's a bad idea"

"So you've given it enough thought to pass judgement then" he states, catching her out.

"Howard" she sighs, taking her hands out of her pockets. "You know what it is I'm looking for- what it is I want at this point of my life. Can you honestly say you want the same?"

He turns to face her fully, his expression serious, and she knows that he was never really joking in the first place.

"Eve, do you like me? As a person?"

"Well, sure, mostly" she says. She's confused about the apparent change of topic.

"Do you trust me?"

"You know I do"

"So why not give this a shot?"

"Look at us! We can't even have a discussion about this without fighting, how do you think we'd go at dating?"

"That's just who we are. It's not perfect, I grant you that, but it's pretty darn great if you ask me"

Her eyes turn soft at that, though she's still looking completely at a loss as to how to proceed with this conversation. On the one hand, a relationship- a _child_- with Howard would be wonderful. On the other hand, it would complicate her life in ways she'd never imagined. She'd always fancied herself a traditional girl, and in her ideal picture marriage came before babies. But after her recent conversations with Lois and Joan, as well as a little soul searching, she's starting to see that letting life pass her by will not bring her the things she wants. It's telling that her excuses don't mention her feelings towards him, and it's perhaps that realisation more than anything that breaks her last real objections.

"Howard, you know that I'm looking for more than just a date"

"I know what it is I'm asking of you, Eve" he says softly.

"I want a baby, Howard. I want a family. You're twice divorced and your children are almost grown- do you really want to start over again, from scratch?"

"And who's to say I don't care about you enough to want this? Who's to say I don't want to do this for you?"

"You can't do this just for me. You know that's not how this works"

"I know" he says whisper-quiet. She stops and looks at him long and hard. The tipsiness of earlier is gone completely and she can see that he's being perfectly serious. He's looking at her with a tenderness she doesn't remember being there before, though she's sure it must have been. He can't have made the leap from co-workers to family without there being some feelings for her.

"You're serious" she says again, her voice airy with emotion, her eyes betraying the extent to which this conversation affects her. He closes the distance between them in a single step and gently rests his hand against her cheek, his thumb caressing her gently.

"Very"

She closes her eyes. She can't believe they're here, at this moment. She can't believe that after a year of learning about this person, she's putting herself in a position to love him, or allowing herself to even contemplate it. She doesn't doubt that he will do right by his word; she's seen his generosity towards his ex-wives, even at their most volatile. She also has never doubted his abilities as a father, and knows that if this happens, no matter where their relationship stands, he will always support his child. For a brief moment she allows herself to fantasise about domesticity between them, and finds it doesn't sit so far out of the realm of possibility.

"I care about you, Eve. A lot. And I'd like to give this a go, if you'll let me"

She places her hand on top of his, holding it to her cheek and silently encouraging him to go on while she finds her voice.

"I honestly think we'd be great together. We'll kill each other, sure. But we do that anyway"

She smiles.

"Eve Sheridan. Will you go out with me?"

Something inside her clicks into place. She knows it sounds crazy, and every rational bone in her body is screaming at her to put an end to this fantasy. But she remembers moping in the break room, complaining to this very man that she never says 'yes' to herself, and it just feels right to finally put an end to that pattern and leap into something head-first. Perhaps he's a rebound, or perhaps they were always headed here, but either way it doesn't matter. He's standing in front of her now, asking her to give him permission; asking her to let go long enough to find out what this can be. More than that, he's offering her the chance at a family, knowing full well what that means.

"Okay" she whispers, opening her eyes. He holds her gaze, looking right through her, before leaning in and touching his lips to hers. It's brief, and hesitant, and full of promise. He pulls back and looks her in the eye again.

"Okay?" he asks, referring to everything.

"Okay" she repeats with a nod.

This time she is the one to lean in as her arms rest at his waist, then around his back, before her hands find purchase on his shoulder blades. His other hand comes to rest on the small of her back, pulling her flush against him, and the palm against her cheek is warm and grounding. She looks into his eyes, their faces barely a few inches apart, and then closes the gap and kisses him with confidence.

She has no idea where this is going, but she doesn't care, because either way they'll get there together. Of that she's certain.


	3. I Think It's Called Love

"_Some people care too much. I think it's called love." _

― _A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh_

_She knows she's falling for him. She can see that things like watching him in his sleep make her seem absolutely ridiculous, like a little girl with a pathetic crush. But she knows now that it runs deeper than that._

_**I Think It's Called Love**_

She wakes up slowly, and for a moment thinks it must surely be a minute until her alarm goes off. The amount of times she's woken up seconds before the grating sound is enumerable. Instead she can see that it's still pitch black outside, the glow from the street light shining through the gap in the vertical blinds of her bedroom and throwing shadows of the trees outside. She looks to her clock anyway, and finds it's just after four thirty. She's only been asleep for an hour.

Beside her she hears soft snores, and she smiles to herself, shy and self-conscious, even in the dark of her own bedroom, in the comfort of her own bed. She registers a weight across her middle. Turning her head she sees him face-planted in his pillow, his arm slung haphazardly over her waist, his mouth hanging open. He's quite adorable, she thinks.

They've been doing this for two weeks now. It still feels like a dream.

He's been sleeping over at her place because of Jenny; she doesn't want to make the girl feel uncomfortable, even if Howard's living room is the size of her entire apartment. Her place is also closer to Houlihan's, and after drinks with their people, it was just easier to go back to hers and finish what their continuous looks had started.

She rolls onto her side to face him, trying not to disturb his arm. The light from outside gives her enough light to watch him by, and she tucks her hand under her chin as she settles as close to the edge of her pillow as she can manage. She can't stop smiling; she feels sixteen again.

She knows she's falling for him. She can see that things like watching him in his sleep make her seem absolutely ridiculous, like a little girl with a pathetic crush. But she knows now that it runs deeper than that. She's known Howard for over a year, and their courting may have seemed rushed, but given how much they've confided in each other, and how many crises they've seen each other through, she thinks that the hard part about dating was over and done with before they even began. She knew exactly what she was getting in to, and she dove in head-first anyway. Even the fleeting attraction for each other's siblings couldn't dampen the pull they have on each other, or fool anybody otherwise. She thinks about Sam; about the perfect version of Howard, who was taller and younger and a marvellous kisser (though it honestly hadn't gone further than that, sitting on her couch that one night). Even then, she hadn't seen it working out with him, any more than it had worked with wonderful Robert. She can recognise now that it had nothing to do with either man; rather it had everything to do with the fact that they weren't Howard. Being her colleague, and her friend, he's seen a side of her she can rarely show anyone, and he cares more for her because of it. He gets to see a part of her that even her family don't fully understand, and it's both overwhelming and liberating to be so honest with someone about exactly who she is. She thinks the feeling must surely be mutual.

She reaches out and softly runs a finger down his cheek, before tucking her hand safely back under her chin with a contented smile.

Settling into her pillow she lets sleep take her again, knowing he'll still be there in the morning. Before long she's fast asleep, nestled under his arm, dressed in the flimsy sheet around her and nothing else.

He wakes to that sight many hours later, the mid-morning sun pouring through the same gap in the blind.

They both have to work that night, but one of the perks of working the later shift is getting a lazy morning, and he fully intends to take advantage of it.

He shifts to the edge of his pillow, placing him only a couple of inches from her nose. She's sleeping with her head near the edge of her own pillow, her hand tucked under her chin, her other hand resting on the small space of bed between them. She looks so peaceful in her sleep. And so young. When she's bossing him around, or helping him make sense of something, or working on a patient, he forgets that she's a good decade younger than him. It's never really been an issue between them in the past, and hasn't come up in their relationship yet. He smiles at how lucky he is that he can share his life with a woman who has become such a treasured friend, and acknowledges that he's falling for her, and fast.

Not that he had much further to fall in the first place.

She stirs, her eyelids fluttering, obviously registering the change in his breathing and the sun through the window. She's a fairly light sleeper, he's learned, and is glad that he now knows that about her.

She opens her eyes, and doesn't seem surprised to find him so close.

He smiles at her.

"Good morning" he says softly.

"Morning" she whispers, voice heavy with sleep.

She closes her eyes again, takes a moment, then the hand under her chin comes up and rubs the sleep from her eyes and pushes her hair back. Her eyes open again and find his.

"What's the time?" she asks quietly, as though unwilling to disturb the tranquillity of the moment.

"Just after eleven"

"Hmmm. Slept in a bit"

"Well, we did have a rather late night last night"

She meets his gaze, and can't help but grin widely at that, rolling her face to bury it in the pillow. He smiles at the way she can be so bashful. She's not a shy person with him, and she's not timid in bed, but something about stating the facts; pointing out just what they're doing, makes her react in the most un-Eve like ways, and he thinks it's that more than anything that tells him that she's as invested in this as he is. If she wasn't, he figures, she wouldn't care so much.

She readjusts her head to rest on the pillow again, but quickly changes her mind, leans forward and plants a kiss on his lips. He kisses her back with eyes closed, soft and brief. They've both got morning breath, and neither of them seems to care.

"I'm hungry" she states simply.

"So am I"

There's a glint in his eye. She gives him a sly smile, and shifts closer to his side. Her hand comes up to cup his cheek as she leans in and gives him another slow kiss. They linger in it for a time, his hands coming around her, and she moves until she's resting over him and lying on his chest. He's a leg man, and appreciates hers like no one else, but his hands move up her bare back to thread through her thick hair, tangling his fingers against her head, revelling in the feel. He knows women do all kinds of things these days to make their hair big and bold. Eve has no need for any of it; the most he's seen her use is hairspray. He marvels at just how _much_ of it there is, and how soft it is, and how it shines even after just waking, framing her face like a dark halo.

She breaks their kiss and smiles down at him.

"You love playing with my hair"

"Yes I do"

She grins and pecks his lips again. And again.

"I have a confession to make" she says, resting both of her hands on his bare chest.

"What's that?"

"Don't freak out" she warns, eyeballing him playfully.

"Cross my heart"

She considers him for a moment, sobering just a little.

"Howard, I think I'm falling for you"

Her eyes are wide; cautious but not fearful. Her fingertips are lightly playing with the hair on his chest, one leg thrown between his, and it's because they are so physically close that he can feel her heart thumping fast and steady. She's terrified and elated, and not at all sorry for being so bold. He flicks his eyes across her face, the hands in her hair coming down to rub lazy circles across her slender back.

"I think I know exactly what you mean" he finally mumbles, meeting her eyes again.

She smiles, and kisses him again, the moment suddenly going from playful to tender.

"I'm glad" she says quietly against his lips.

She sits up with a sigh, pulling the sheet along with her as she holds it to her chest. He moans through a stretch as he raises his arms above his head and works the chinks out of his back. Leaning over the side of the bed the first thing she finds is his shirt, and she throws it over herself just as her stomach makes a long noise.

"Oh, you actually are hungry"

She rolls her eyes at him and shoots him a look over her shoulder, though he can see she's holding back a giggle. He only shrugs at her, and no she didn't expect any different from him.

As she slides out of bed he watches her, not at all surprised to find that the cliché image of a woman in her lover's shirt is as hot on her as in any of the movies. Ace wasn't wrong when he nicknamed her 'Slim', and the legs that he loves so much are on full display as she picks up his shorts from the floor and tosses them to him.

"Come on genius, I want eggs"

He watches her glide out of the room, a lazy and satisfied smirk on his face.

They quickly make their way to her tiny kitchen, and she takes her usual place by the toaster as he takes command of the eggs on the stove. It was a system they developed the morning after the first night he stayed over, and it's been working just fine.

They sit at her little kitchen island on big stools, knees touching.

"So I was thinking…" she starts, shovelling a mouthful of toast in her mouth.

"Uh-oh"

She whacks him lightly with the back of her fingers, quickly chewing and swallowing her food.

"I was thinking I should come over to your place"

"Yeah?"

He seems confused.

"I think we should talk to Jenny about us. We've been going out for two weeks and I think she has a right to know why you're sometimes not home"

"It's only been a couple of nights"

She ignores the fact that he's being deliberately dense.

"I know. But then it's a couple more, and then more. Howard, we have to tell her about us some time. People at work already know-"

"You told them?"

"Howard, they're not blind. Ace made a crack about us the other day, and then told me not to worry because nobody really cared. And besides, I think Julie caught us kissing in the break room the other day, and if Julie knows…"

He concedes her point with a sideways nod of his head and has another mouthful of egg. She considers him for a moment, absently pushing food around her plate.

"If you're not ready to tell Jenny about us, that's okay, but-"

"Hey, wait, no. No, it's not that at all" he says vehemently, almost frowning at the implication that he's somehow ashamed of what they're doing.

"Then what is it?" she asks gently, putting her knife down in order to reach out a hand and place it on his arm.

"I want to tell Jenny. I do. And David. And I think you're right- we should do it now"

"But?"

"I don't know… it's silly"

"It's not silly to me"

She's looking at him in that calm way she has, all poise and confidence, and it puts him at ease.

"I guess I just like being the two of us, you know? It's nice to have our own little secret. You're right of course- we need to tell them sooner rather than later. I just like having you all to myself, that's all"

By the end of his speech she's grinning into her food, a light blush on her cheeks.

"What are you smiling at? I sound like a crazy person; I probably _am _a crazy person"

"You're not crazy, Howard, just a bit neurotic" she replies, patting his arm and continuing to eat her breakfast.

"Yeah, well, I blame you for that"

She's laughing at him, and it makes him smile in return, shovelling a huge mouthful of egg and toast into his mouth. It's Sunday, and not yet midday, and he knows for a fact that Jenny is home today. He's terrified, to be honest. Telling his daughter and son will make all of this so real. He wants it to be real more than anything and there is nothing about Eve's demeanour that suggests she's not totally comfortable with it. He's seen her with his children, Jenny in particular. She's well-liked by them, and he knows that Jenny will enjoy having a woman around who isn't her mother- someone she can talk to almost as an equal; someone she can discuss things with that she doesn't feel comfortable raising with him. He knew he was taking on a lot of responsibility when he agreed to let his teenage daughter live with him, and he knows that Eve has a way of relating his overprotective fatherly decisions to her in a way that makes sense.

It's also incredibly overwhelming that she's making the first move regarding his kids, and if he wasn't sure about them before, he is now.

She smiles at him again from under her lashes as she stands from her stool and collects her plate. Moving to step around him and put her dishes in the sink, she stops next to his shoulder, leans in, and places a soft kiss to his hairline, just above his temple.

"I'll take first shower" she says quietly.

He watches her walk into her tiny bathroom, dressed in his shirt and nothing else, and his chest feels tight and his breathing restricted, and he's certain now that it's love.

_A/N: I was listening to Joshua Radin while writing this one. Go figure. Also, given everything I've been writing lately has such angsty undertones, I'm turning this series fluffy, and I'm not even going to apologise for that. Even so, let me know how the characterisations are going, so I know I'm still on track. As always, happy reading._


	4. Hand In Hand

"_To her-  
Hand in hand we come  
Christopher Robin and I  
To lay this book in your lap.  
Say you're surprised?  
Say you like it?  
Say it's just what you wanted?  
Because it's yours-  
because we love you."  
― __A.A. Milne__, __Winnie-the-Pooh_

_**Hand In Hand**_

"Please tell me that is not a turtle"

Eve stops dead in the doorway, eyeing the large tank on the counter of Howard's kitchen. Her arms feel heavy with the weight of the bags she's carrying, but for moment she doesn't notice.

"Isn't she great?" beams Jenny, her nose pressed to the glass, watching the small reptile sitting motionless on the rock. "I begged and begged Mom to let me have one, and she never let me, and then I came home and look!"

The girl runs over to Eve, grabs her arm and drags her over to look in the tank. As she gets to the bench Eve places the grocery bags on the floor, warily eyeing the tank, a look somewhere between fear and disgust on her face.

"Have a look at her. Isn't she cute?" asks Jenny, oblivious to Eve's lack of enthusiasm.

"Oh yes. Cute"

Turning her head, Eve eyeballs Howard as he comes through the doorway, glaring at him behind Jenny's back.

"She begged and begged" he says with big eyes, throwing up his free hand.

"What a great present, Dad"

"I'm glad you like her. But you know that you're going to be responsible for her" he adds pointedly.

"Does this mean if I can keep the turtle alive for a month we can get a dog?"

"No chance"

Jenny snaps her fingers in mock defeat before leaning back over the bench and watching the turtle. Eve walks back over to Howard, her expression trying to be reprimanding, but mostly coming off as amused. He loves spoiling his daughter, and though she has a serious dislike for reptiles, she can't deny that it was a great gift.

"I know you don't like them-" he starts, looking genuinely sorry that he's putting her out.

"It's fine. She did get amazing grades, and you did promise her a surprise for it. It's sweet that you spoil her, Howard. Besides, it's not my turtle, it's hers" she adds with a nonchalant shrug.

"You sure?"

"Gives me a good excuse to avoid the kitchen" she says with a toothy grin, her hands in her pockets. He smiles back. As though he's ever expected her to get back in the kitchen and make him sandwiches.

Her look turns into a smirk.

"What?" he asks warily, suspicious of the look she's giving him from the corner of her eye, the hands in her pockets making her look conspiratorial.

"You get to clean the tank" she says, biting her tongue between her teeth in an effort not to laugh at his horrified face.

"Jenny" he calls immediately, making the girl look up and Eve hide a laugh behind his shoulder, pressing her face into his shirt. "You have to clean the tank too"

"I know" she replies incredulously, waving off his concerns as Eve starts to turn away and go back to the forgotten groceries on the floor.

"What's her name?" asks Eve as she picks up the grocery bag and moves to the cupboard. Howard walks towards the kitchen behind her, the ghost of a grin on his face as he watches his two favourite women talking casually. Since they sat down and talked with Jenny about their new relationship a few weeks ago they've been getting along famously. Unperturbed by the idea of her father dating (because it's something she's always lived with, since she was small and her parent's divorced), she was thrilled to learn that she not only knew the woman, but actively liked her. Jenny had always felt a trust with Eve, and knew that the trust could be built on now that they'd be spending personal time together outside of the hospital. It made Howard infinitely happy to know these two aspects of his life would so seamlessly fit together.

"I don't know yet. I'm trying to think of a great name, but I've got no good ideas" says Jenny, taking the milk Eve passes her and giving it to her father.

"How about Bubbles?" asks Howard from his place at the fridge where he's putting away the cold food, milk included. Eve rolls her eyes from the pantry, placing another can on the middle shelf as Jenny hands her a jar that was in her father's shopping bag.

"That's a dreadful name" says Eve.

"I thought you didn't care about the turtle"

"Just because I don't like reptiles, that doesn't mean your daughter's pet should have a terrible name" she says with a shrug. Howard only grins as Jenny nods along in enthusiastic agreement.

"How about Clarence?" asks Howard animatedly.

"It's a girl, Dad" Jenny replies, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah Dad" teases Eve with a grin, putting the cereal on the next shelf up.

"It's so hard. I don't want to give her a stupid name" says Jenny, walking back over to the tank and resting her chin on her hand, slouching over the bench.

"What about Dina?" says Eve after a moment, putting rice in the cupboard, the bag in her hand now empty. Howard pokes his head out of the fridge, steps back and closes it, scrunching the empty bag in his hand.

"You know… that's actually not bad" he says.

"Yeah. I like it" adds Jenny, considering the turtle for a moment more. "Dina"

"Looks like you have successfully named your first turtle" says Howard to Eve, coming to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her on the opposite side of the counter to Jenny. "Next week, parrots"

She laughs, and then turns to him, feigning seriousness. "You are not seriously going to get a parrot, are you?"

He nods with a smirk, a glint in his eye. And then he shakes his head side to side. She grins and bumps her shoulder against his. He raises his arm and throws it around her shoulders, giving her a sideways hug, pressing a brief kiss to her hair before stepping away.

"So Jenny, are you sure you'll be okay being home tonight? You don't want to call and see if you can stay at a friend's place?"

"I'm almost sixteen, Dad. I'll be fine" she says, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, I'm just asking" he says, throwing his hands up. He walks towards the study to quickly grab something, muttering about seeing where he put the outstanding report card that came home just last week.

"Your father just worries about you. He loves you very much" says Eve lightly, picking up the pile of papers on the kitchen table to put near the door, so they remember to bin them.

"I know. But I'm not a kid- he doesn't really have to worry about one night"

"It's his _job_" says Eve, her tone light but her eyes serious. Jenny looks up and considers her words, her expression open and willing to listen. Eve has been an amazing mediator between the teen and her father, particularly in translating often confusing or overbearing attitude from either of them. The small amount of time she's spent with David has been insightful and fun, the boy visiting when he can between college classes and friends. But David is practically grown, and out in the world as his own person after his mother moved; his lessons have been learned. Eve senses that Howard worries that Jenny living with him will somehow prevent her from staying sensible; that his erratic hours will send her down a bad road due to lack of attention or influence. Eve knows that would never happen- the girl is level-headed, and Howard is a wonderful father- but she also knows that Jenny is his baby girl, and no amount of sense and reason will change that.

"We see a lot of awful things in the ER, Jenny" says Eve, without inflection, simply stating a fact. "A lot of kids who thought they were old enough or mature enough to handle a situation, and suddenly we're performing emergency surgery, or stomach pumps, or sending them up to x-ray to check for skull fractures. If your father seems concerned or overprotective, it's only because he's seen the other side of it, you know?"

"I guess" she concedes, shrugging one shoulder, meandering over to where Eve is standing. "David told me about that night ages ago with his friend who O/D'd. Said it shook Dad pretty bad. And I get it. He worries. Doesn't mean it's not annoying, though, you know? I mean, I don't take drugs, I don't drink or smoke or sneak out. I just wish he'd trust me more to make good choices. Didn't I just get a perfect report?"

The girl understands his concern, Eve can see, but she still isn't happy about Howard's never-ending questions about where she is and what she's doing. Her mother had been no different, but there's something about her easy-going dad suddenly being neurotic that drives Jenny crazy, and Eve sympathises, because it was no different for her and her sister at that age. All she can do is encourage Jenny to see the best in the situation and hope the fear that Howard constantly harbours goes unfounded.

"It has nothing to do with him not trusting you. You know that, don't you?" she asks gently, her soft tone suggesting that it's very important that she understand that.

"Yeah. I know. It just feels that way sometimes, you know?"

"I know"

"Your dad was the same?"

"Exactly the same"

"Does it ever ease up?"

Eve smiles, and considered the question. "Not really" she says honestly. "It changes over time, but even now, with how sick he is, my Dad is still completely overbearing when it comes to me and my sister. I think it's their way of showing us how much they love us"

Jenny smiles and Eve returns it, pleased that she's helped her understand at least a little of what her father is thinking. She's not Jenny's mother, but she'd like to think she's her friend. It doesn't really occur to Eve that this relationship with her is good practice for when she has her own children, but she does recognise the more mature and nurturing role she's taking on, and she hopes she's doing a good job. Sensing the girl needs one, Eve holds out her arms for a hug, and Jenny steps into them, happy to receive this affection from a woman she's quickly starting to accept into their family.

"What, and none for me?"

They both look up and see Howard standing at the door to the study. Jenny steps out of Eve's embrace and runs into her father's open arms. Eve smiles, putting a hand in her pocket as she watches on.

"Thanks so much for Dina, Dad. She's great. And I promise I won't have any wild parties while you're at work"

"Pinky promise?"

"Cross my heart"

"Okay. I trust you"

Jenny smiles.

Excitedly chattering something about going to calling her brother to brag about the turtle, Jenny takes off for the stairs towards her room. Howard watches her go, a lazy smile on his face, while Eve slowly makes her way to his side. He looks at her, the smile remaining, and she steps into his embrace, laying her ear against his chest. His arms come up around her.

"She's a great kid, Howard. You don't have to worry about her"

"I know. But it's my _job_"

She grins.

"You're amazing with her" he says softly. "I'm glad you're in her life. And David's, even if we never see him"

"So am I"

He smiles, and rests his cheek on the top of her head, and considers how lucky he is to find someone who is his equal; who accepts the many roles that come with being with him. Eve has never faulted, and he doesn't expect that she will, and that makes him smile.


	5. Things That Make Me

"_The things that make me different are the things that make me." _

― _A.A. Milne_

_She sounds genuinely concerned for the state of other people's positions; much more than for her own. It's that more than anything else which drains him of the last of his fight._

_**Things That Make Me**_

"I can't believe you would go behind my back like that"

Howard follows Eve into the break room, closing the door behind him forcefully as she spins around to face him, her hands fisted in anger.

"Who's going behind your back, I didn't-"

"Howard, as Head of this department, it is up to me to-"

"It was a simple shift change Eve- I don't know why you're getting so upset"

Her eyes narrow and she huffs at him, her finger pointed, her other hand on her hip.

"Oh, you _do_ know why I'm upset, you know exactly why I'm upset, which is why you didn't mention this to me in the first place"

He throws his hands in front of him, half exasperated, half confused. "I didn't mention it because I didn't think it was a big deal" he says, his voice pitched higher.  
"Howard, when Mr. Stickley comes down here questioning me about the staff in this E.R and I'm not aware of the people who are even working, how do you think that makes me look?"

He hadn't considered that point of view before, but he's not about to tell her that. "Well, I didn't know that Stickley was coming in tonight, did I?"

She rolls her eyes and then frowns at him again, giving a pointed look. "That's not the point and you know it. All decisions like this have to run through me. I won't stand over you as a doctor, but when it comes to the administration of this department, Howard, I am in charge"

"Duly noted" he says sarcastically. He's never had a problem with her being his boss, nor has it been an issue since they started seeing each other. What bothers him is her management style; she's a wonderful administrator, but sometimes he thinks she gets caught up in the rule book instead of her people. He's always been the opposite, and it bothers him to clash with her over these things.

She's looking at him out the corner of her eye like he's an unruly child, a derisive look on her face, both hands on her hips now.

"I would have thought that given the discussion I had with Joan all those months ago about these very issues, you would be less careless" she says seriously.

"All Julie asked was if she could switch shifts with another nurse for the night" he says, trying to pacify. "I know Polly, I know she can handle it, and I didn't think it was a big deal to say yes"

"Nurse Murray does not work in this department, Howard, and as such her suitability for swapping shifts with Julie should have been okay'ed by me, regardless of whether you know her or not" she replies with finality. He nods and throws his hands in the air, taking a seat at the table and conceding her point.

"From now on, could you please _not_ show that kind of initiative and just run it by me first?" she continues, softer now, the heat of the moment wearing off. "I need to be in the loop. Stickley almost had very good reason tonight to put me out of my job. Not to mention what he could have done to you, or to Julie, or to Polly for that matter"

She sounds genuinely concerned for the state of other people's positions; much more than for her own. It's that more than anything else which drains him of the last of his fight. She's a good boss; a fair worker, if a little tough sometimes. He should have done the right thing by her position, even if it did seem a bit redundant at the time.

"Alright. Okay. I understand. You're the boss" he says neutrally, pacifying her with honesty.

"Yes. I am" she says, reiterating why this has got her so worked up, taking a seat across from him as the last of her own anger fades away. He chances a look at her, confused to see that she's off in her own world, contemplating something beyond the immediate. She's staring at the tabletop, one finger tracing a kink in the material.

"So what exactly did you say to stay out of trouble anyway?" he asks lightly, shaking her out of her reverie, his brow slightly knitted. Stickley had been obnoxious and bombastic and very close to firing half of the department. Only a few minutes later, after a private talk with Eve, he'd been happy to overlook the incident. Howard has no idea what she said to placate the man, but it must have been big, and that worries him.

"Don't worry about it" she dismisses, almost too casually.

"No, come on, I want to know"

If for no other reason than he's her colleague and cares about her, he wants to know what she's giving up. The possessive part of him- the part that's now allowed to kiss her and ask about her day- wants to know, purely because he just does. She ignores both.

"Howard, it's fine. What's done is done, it's all smoothed over. Now, can we please be mindful in the future?"

"Okay" he answers, still confused over why she's being so evasive.

"Thank you. And I'm sorry I yelled" she says sheepishly. She also remembers Howard telling her to deal with people a little more gently, and she knows she was very abrasive with him, even if it was in private.

"I guess I deserved it" he concedes, shrugging one shoulder and giving her his own guilty look.

"You did a bit. But I still need to learn to control my temper"

He snorts, and says nothing, and they smirk at each other. Howard stands and takes a step closer to her, picking up her hand and kissing the back of her knuckles. They've been fairly clear on keeping things as professional as possible at work, but he doesn't think this oversteps any boundaries, and the way she smiles at him tells him he's safe.

"You do have a fiery temper sometimes. Usually because of me"

Her smile turns into a smirk.

"But that's just part of who you are. I accept that. God knows I'm not perfect either"

Her look turns pointed, but she doesn't comment. He's still holding her hand, and she squeezes his fingers in acknowledgement. He squeezes hers back.

"Thank you. And I'm sorry I snapped"

"You had every right to. You're right; you're the boss. I was in the wrong here, and for that I apologise"

"Thank you"

He squeezes her fingers again and moves for the door as she stands. He's just reaching for the handle when he stops and turns back to her, an apprehensive and somewhat nervous expression on his face.

"Eve…"

"Yes?"

"Will you tell me what you offered Stickley to get him to back down?"

Howard's face looks searching; concerned more than curious, as though he knows it can't be good for her. The sentiment is touching, but it doesn't ease her feelings of dread. Eve lets out all her breath, her shoulders sagging and a pained expression crossing her face as she leans against the back of the chair.

"He told me that if I went for dinner with him then he'd be willing to overlook this instance of poor management"

Howard's mouth drops open in indignation and rage.

"Did you tell him you'd be filing sexual harassment charges?" he says, and she finds it sweet that he's so concerned about her honour, even though they both know she can handle herself just fine.

"Well, given in this case he actually had grounds to do something, I told him I would"

She's looking at her hands, looking like a chastised child, and she chances a glance at Howard. He has an unreadable expression on his face; a mix of worry, outrage and disappointment. She hadn't wanted to tell him the details, not because she's ashamed of the choice- it saved many jobs after all- but because she knew he wouldn't be happy with it. They can barely tolerate Stickley at the best of times, and the thought of going for dinner with him is wholly unpleasant. Howard is not an unreasonably proud man, but she does understand that he's not happy about this, mainly for her sake.

Howard moves back towards her, a frown on his face, his steps hesitant.

"Eve… you don't have to do this"

"Yes I do, Howard"

"There are other ways to smooth this over" he says beseechingly.

"Maybe. But for now, this is the deal I've made, and I'm going to stick to it"

He doesn't seem appeased, and she understands that, but it doesn't make her feel better about the evening she'll have to spend with her boss that she'd rather be spending with him.

"I don't like it any more than you" she says directly to him. "But I'll go to one dinner and it will be done. It's not ideal, but it is the quickest and least painful way to deal with this. It's done"

"I doesn't seem worth it" he says, shaking his head, begrudgingly admitting defeat.

"If it saves this department, then it is" she says quietly, playing her nail against the chair she's been leaning on. She looks up after a moment to see Howard looking at her, his expression intense and undiscernible. He closes the gap between them, his face unreadable, and gently places his hands against her shoulders.

"I'm sorry I've put you in this position" he says softly, seriously.

"Howard, it's not your fault Stickley is a creep. And you don't have to worry. I'll be home that night at the earliest opportunity"

His eyes are still intense as they look her over, cataloguing her and, dare she say, admiring her. She feels very small under that look, like she has a lot of expectations to live up to. Howard, on the other hand, can't stop mulling over how unexpectedly selfless she's being. He knows her well enough to know that she'd love nothing more than to fight Stickley tooth and nail, and if it was just her at risk she would. But instead she's putting aside her dignity to go to dinner with him, for the sake of sparing her department an investigation and whatever else Stickley could throw at them.

Despite their rules about work, he leans in and presses a quick kiss to her lips, and she doesn't stop him. It's brief and sweet and speaks of his trust and admiration for her.

She smiles at him when they pull away.

"You're amazing" he says simply.

She can do nothing but let out a bark of laughter. Of all the things she was expecting, it was not that.

"Even with my bad temper" she says.

"Even then" he agrees with a smile, stepping quickly away from her before he does something ridiculous like kiss her onto the couch and refuse to let her up.

"Drinks?" she asks.

"Everyone?"

"Houlihans?"

"I'll let the troops know" he says with a grin, stepping back towards the door.

"Great. And Howard?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't worry about this dinner thing. It'll be fine"

"I know you will" he says with a smile, opening the door. She doesn't miss the slip he makes.

"Thanks" she replies with a smile of her own. He steps back out into the E.R and she follows a few steps behind, grinning as she hears him excitedly tell Joan that they're having after-work drinks. Across the way she spots the young nurse Polly preparing a bed for a car accident that's being called in, and she makes a mental note to get to know her, determined that she'll never have to go on another dinner date with Harold Stickley again.

She sees Howard wink at her across the room and smiles to herself. It's one dinner, she tells herself. And then it's all done.


	6. Keep Me

"_If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart. I'll stay there forever." _

― _A.A. Milne_

_He stares right back, sure that he must mirror her expression, because everything she's saying he feels, deep in his gut, and he doesn't know how to describe it, so he only nods, long and slow._

_Follows after Things That Make Me._

_**Keep Me**_

He looks up from his book as she steps through the door, toeing off her shoes, her eyes closed where she leans against the doorframe, letting out a long puff of air. The door clicks fully shut behind her back and she bumps her head against the wall behind her, sagging in relief.

"How was it?" he asks lightly, marking his book and putting it aside.

"I think if I'd had you stick needles in my eyes it would have been less painful" she replies, pushing off the wall and making her way over to the couch. "Howard, I didn't think it was possible to despise the man even more" she says, shaking her head. "But tonight he has done a marvellous job-"

She lowers herself into his side, under his raised and ready arm, her hand coming to rest over his heart.

"-of proving me wrong"

"That bad?"

"Do I really need to spell it out?"

"No, I guess not"

"Oh, I am so glad to be home" she sighs tiredly. He has to grin despite himself when she refers to his place as home, but he has a suspicion that the description has nothing to do with location and everything to do with company. She looks completely drained of energy, and after a night being pleasant to Harold Stickley over a meal, he doesn't blame her.

"I missed you" she says softly, rubbing her fingertips against his chest.

"You saw me at work less than twenty-four hours ago" he says lightly, grinning at the top of her head, squeezing her tighter against his side. She smiles.

"It was strange going out with someone other than you. I didn't like it, and not just because of Mr. Harold Stickley either"

He has to fight a rising feeling in his chest when she says that, because all he's done all day is think about the terrible date she was coerced into, and how much he wished he could do something to spare her, and though they'd worked together the previous night and are working together on the next one, going almost a full day without spending time with her was strange for him too.

"I was thinking about you today" he says, almost a whisper, and it almost sounds like a confession.

"Oh?"

"I was down at the mall to pick up Jenny and I saw some camellias in the florist. They reminded me of you"

She sits up at that, looking at him with the strangest expression. He can't decide if she's exasperated, touched, in awe, or just downright annoyed. Suddenly she leans in and kisses him firmly, the hand from his chest coming up to cup his jaw. He thinks he understands that look now.

"Howard" she says, pulling back from him to look him in the eye. "Sometimes you are the most infuriating man I've ever had to deal with. And other times…"

She stares at him long and hard, her eyes bearing into him in a way that makes it hard for him to breathe. He stares right back, sure that he must mirror her expression, because everything she's saying he feels, deep in his gut, and he doesn't know how to describe it, so he only nods, long and slow. His arms have come up around her, her legs up on the couch, her body turned towards his. He pulls her tighter against his chest, allowing her enough room to turn and get comfortable so she can be as close as physically possible to him. She wraps one hand around his neck and the other around the small of his back, and he practically pulls her into his lap, though they're not seventeen and so he doesn't.

"If you guys are gonna make out, can you not do it where I have to watch TV?"

Eve breaks into giggles, looking up to see Jenny coming down the stairs dressed in her pyjamas, an empty bowl in her hand. The girls rolls her eyes at them playfully as she makes her way into the kitchen, and Eve meets Howard's eyes, grinning at his exasperated look. Eve moves back to sit beside Howard rather than right on top of him, giving him a quick, chaste parting kiss. They hear the bowl being placed in the sink, and a moment later Jenny walks back into the room.

"I thought you were going to sleep half an hour ago" says Howard. "And since when do you have ice cream in your room?"

"Geez Dad, what's with the interrogation- you know, for someone caught making out on the couch with their girlfriend shouldn't you be the one getting the third degree?"

Eve is openly grinning at them both, noticing the way Howard is fighting a smirk.

"We weren't _making out_. Eve just had a horrible dinner with a horrible man and need some cheering up, that's all"

"Was that the Stickley guy?" asks Jenny with genuine sympathy, coming around to sit on the other couch near them.

"You've heard about that, have you?" asks Eve with a smirk.

"Yeah. Dad was complaining all night about you going out with him"

"Hey, I was not!"

Eve stifles a giggle at the exchange, giving Howard a knowing look, and Jenny grins at them both.

"So kid, you wanna watch a movie?" asks Howard. "You should be asleep, but since it's a weekend, I'm feeling generous"

Jenny nods, giving a thoughtful look. "I'm down with that. What'd you have in mind?"

A short while later they're settled on the bigger of the two couches, Eve on one side of Howard and Jenny tucked into his other side. The girl is practically falling asleep, though she's fighting it on principle, and Eve finds she's not much better. The film is some B-grade buddy cop flick, and though Eve manages to see out the end credits, when she raises her head enough to check out her couch-mates, she notices them both fast asleep, Howard's head resting on top of Jenny's, which is tucked in the crook of his shoulder.

Smiling, and sliding gently away from Howard so as not to wake him, she collects his camera from the bureau and quickly snaps a picture, just moments before Howard blinks his eyes open. He notices the camera in her hand, and the gleeful grin on her face and he shakes his head at her, the warmth of his gaze diminishing the effect of his frown.

She puts the camera back as Howard is slowly adjusting himself, trying not to jostle his daughter too much. Jenny mumbles in her sleep, and shifts around as his arms snake around her back and under her knees, but she doesn't wake. Momentarily grateful that she takes after his tiny mother in stature, Howard lifts her as he stands, making Eve smile. She walks ahead of him up the stairs, entering Jenny's bedroom to turn down her bed and adjust her pillow. Eve stands back near the door as Howard places Jenny in the bed and pulls the blanket up as she wakes just enough to mumble in his direction. Eve grins widely so as not to laugh at the way she rolls in under covers and snuggles into her pillow, her back to them. Howard watches her for a minute, a proud smile on his face, and then turns and follows Eve back out into the hall and down the stairs.

"You're an amazing father, Howard" she says as they reach the bottom, turning to face him. She's regarding him with an open smile, a soft expression and not a hint of insincerity. He thinks his expression must be much the same, because he can feel how goofy he's looking, and he doesn't care one bit.

"You do a great job with her too" he says gently, proudly. "I see the way you are with her. She adores you"

"She's wonderful" she replies, shaking her head a little in awe.

He pulls her to him, unravelling her arms from their crossed position, tucking her body close to his and leaning down slowly to kiss her. She responds in kind, kissing him back with passion and warmth, the terrible dinner she had earlier all but erased from her memory as his hands slide over her back. They break away after a time, her eyes remaining closed as he kisses her forehead, her nose, her cheek.

"I really do love her, you know" she says, almost a whisper, meeting his eyes, their faces so close that their noses are almost touching.

"I know" he whispers back. She hums and leans her head forward, tucking herself into his chest as his chin rests on top of her head, their arms tightening around each other. She immediately feels tired, the late hour and day's activities catching up to her, and she pulls back to look at him, gesturing towards his room with a slow blink. He grins at her and nods, keeping own arm around her shoulders as they walk down the hall towards his room.

"I'll get you back for that picture, you know" he says with a smile.

She gives him a haughty laugh, throwing her head back dramatically, shaking her head. "You've got nothing on me and you know it"

"Hmmm, we'll see" he says slyly.

She grins at him as she enters his room, and he grins back.

Before long they're fast asleep, his light snores not nearly enough to drag her out of dreamland, his arm reaching across the space between them to rest around her waist, her hand on top of his as though to anchor him there. As though to never let go.


	7. The Smallest Things

"_Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart." _

― _A.A. Milne_

_She's clutching at her stomach, rubbing gently as though to relieve the queasiness she's been feeling all week… He wants more than anything for this not to be about dodgy Chinese take away, and that's also a little bit scary._

_**The Smallest Things**_

"Howard, can I talk to you?"  
He looks up from the chart he's reviewing and sees Eve standing in the doorway to the break room. She looks perfectly professional, as always, but there's nervousness there too. He hands the chart to Joan with a nod, and she nods in return.  
"Sure" he says, walking towards the doorway. She walks into the room and he follows, closing the door behind him.  
"What's up?"  
She's pacing anxiously on the spot, a look on her face that sits somewhere between terror and joy. It could be any number of things that's worrying her; their jobs, or Harold finding some way to interfere with their relationship. But the way she's struggling over her words suggests it's more personal than that.  
"I'm late"  
"For what?"  
She stops pacing and rolls her eyes at him.  
"Late, Howard, late" she says pointedly, eyebrows raised and hands looping in the air. His brow furrows.  
"Late…" He stops himself as realisation dawns. "Oh! Late!"  
"Right"  
"Are you sure? I mean, do you think-?"  
She looks nervous again, and maybe a bit scared. She shrugs one shoulder. He takes a step towards her.  
"I don't know. I'm only a week overdue, but that's not the norm for me"  
"How do you feel?"  
She smiles wider at that, her panic melting for a moment as she looks him in the eye, her hand unconsciously moving to her abdomen.  
"Different. I think. But I don't know, that could just be the Chinese food Jenny made me eat last night"  
She's clutching at her stomach, rubbing gently as though to relieve the queasiness she's been feeling all week. He'd been worried she was coming down with something. He's got an unreadable expression on his face, and though they knew this was always on the table, they've only been seeing each other for a few months. It still feels new, and he can understand her trepidation. He feels himself going into the same guarded hysteria he felt when he thought his ex-wife was pregnant, and recognises that he's far more excited by the prospect of it being true for Eve, if only because they are in such a good place, and this is everything she wants. He wants more than anything for this not to be about dodgy Chinese take away, and that's also a little bit scary.  
"Will you take a look?" she asks sheepishly.  
"You sure?"  
She nods. "Either way, you're going to need to know"  
He steps towards her and holds out his arms, and she closes the distance and steps into them.  
"No matter what, it's okay, Eve. We're okay. Okay?"  
She nods against his chest. "I'm nervous"  
"About what? Seeing something, or not seeing something?"  
"I don't know"  
"Well why don't we go find out what we're so afraid of?"  
She nods again and pulls back. He plants a small kiss on her lips, rubs her arms, and then leads the way back into the ER. It's thankfully a quiet night.  
"Joan?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Can you please prep Doctor Sheridan for an ultrasound?" he asks quietly, discretely.  
"Sure. Ace, keep an eye on Mr Collins"  
Eve walks over to the bed with the curtain around it, takes off her lab coat and folds it over the foot of the bed. Joan comes around the curtain a moment later, wheeling the ultrasound trolley with her. Eve settles herself on the bed, feeling slightly naked without her medical apparel.  
"You okay Doc?" asks the nurse casually.  
She must know what this is all about; Eve hasn't exactly been silent over her desire to have a baby. But the fact that she's taking a step back and letting the ball fall in the doctor's court is a welcomed gesture.  
"I'm not sure" she confides. She rolls her top up her stomach and undoes the top button of her work pants.  
"You'll be fine" says Joan kindly, patting her shoulder, moving to leave.  
"Will you stay?" asks Eve suddenly.  
For a moment Joan looks confused, like she doesn't want to intrude. But if it's not a baby, Eve and Howard may not know what to say to each other, and either of them could need someone to lend them a shoulder. She's touched that she's been chosen as that person.  
"Sure" she says. "I'll stay"  
"Thank you"  
"Any time"  
Joan takes her hand and Eve clutches it tight, betraying her calm outer exterior. Howard comes around the curtain, his hands freshly washed, and smiles lightly at the both of them.  
"You ready?" he asks softly.  
"Mmm-hmm"  
He lightly presses his fingertips into her abdomen, pushing them gently around with practiced hands. Obstetrics is not his area of speciality, but he knows enough to feel the difference; to notice the firmness of such an ordinarily soft area. He shares a meaningful look with his patient, but they don't speak. Taking a seat on the stool, he picks up the gel and squeezes some onto her stomach. She quivers at the cold but doesn't comment.  
Taking the wand and turning the unit on, he takes a deep breath and levels his gaze at her, sharing a significant look. She nods, once, decisively, and he shifts closer and touches the wand to her stomach.  
For a few moments, as he adjusts the position, there is nothing to see, until Howard shifts the wand lower and rests it there. The tiniest rhythmic flickering can be heard, and a blob of darkness appears on the screen among the expected grey haze. Eve gasps, her free hand flying to cover her mouth. All eyes stare, transfixed, at the screen.  
"Is that-?" she whispers.  
"I can't be sure, but I'd say you look just over 5 weeks" says Joan, noticing Howard's mouth has practically fallen on the floor.  
"Five weeks?" asks Eve, shocked at herself for not noticing a change sooner.  
"That'd be my guess. You'd have to get a specialist to check though- this early it's hard to confirm, and I'm no OB"  
"Oh my god" whispers Eve, her eyes getting watery. They watch the screen for a few more seconds, allowing the moment to linger.  
Joan excuses herself, ostensibly to get towel to wipe the gel. Howard places the wand on the trolley, not much caring that there's gloop all over it. His mouth is still hanging open, and he's moving in a daze as he finally meets Eve's eye. She's holding back almost hysterical giggles, trying to process both of their reactions at the same time.  
Joan pops her head around the curtain, hands Howard a handful of towel, and then discretely excuses herself again. Quickly wiping down the ultrasound wand, he turns to Eve and tenderly, reverently, starts to wipe the gel from her stomach.  
"Say something" she whispers, covering his hand with her own.  
He stops and looks at her, reality finally peeking through his shock. He sits and stares, and were she less sure on where they stood it would make her anxious. But all she can do is grin at him; at the excitement she can see is coming through.  
"Eve… Eve, we're having a baby"  
She giggles with unbridled glee and pulls her top down, doing up the button of her pants.  
"I can't believe it. We're having a baby!"  
"Yes we are. Are you happy?" she asks needlessly, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.  
"Are you kidding?" he asks, leaping up from the stool. He grasps her upper arms and pulls her into his chest, crushing her in a hug. She laughs again, tears of happiness almost falling, and wraps her arms around his middle from where she still sits on the bed.  
"I'm ecstatic, Eve. It's a dream come true"  
"A baby" she whispers again. She knows it won't sink in for a while yet, but through her shock she registers that everything in this moment feels absolutely perfect, and yes, it is her dream come true. She's terrified, and overjoyed, and completely overwhelmed, but wrapped in his arms all of that fades away, because she knows no matter what he'll be by her side, and they'll see this through together.  
They stay that way for a moment, before Joan pokes her head around the curtain.  
"Sorry to interrupt; we got a multi-car collision coming in, ETA five minutes"  
"Okay" says Howard, pulling away.  
Eve gives him one last smile as she hops off the bed.  
"We'll make a time to go upstairs next week" says Howard, and Eve nods. She can't stop smiling.  
Together they move the screen away from the bed in preparation for the incoming patients, as Joan orders the younger staff to get appropriate triage tables ready. Their extraordinary evening quickly turns into a routine albeit busy night and neither of them really gets time to process that they're going to be parents, together. They don't say anything to the staff, and trust that Joan won't either, knowing too well the medical complications that can arise so early in pregnancy.  
Yet despite the carnage of the accident, and the uncertainty, and the shock, the two doctors feel light as air, and if anyone notices, they have the good sense to not say a word.


	8. Sort of Attached

"_It's not much of a tail, but I'm sort of attached to it." _

― _A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh_

_**Sort of Attached**_

"Eve, I was wondering something"

"What is it?"

They're both sitting at the break room table, Howard twirling an unlit cigar and Eve nursing a cup of water. Not being able to have her coffee has been killing her, just as not smoking around her has been killing him, but they're both managing as best they can, and the results will be worth it.

She's rubbing at her hip, nearing the end of a very long and stressful shift. They lost one patient to head trauma, and had to monitor another for internal bleeding, and their only reprieve had been a girl with too much alcohol in her system and a bad attitude.

Eve is barely showing her pregnancy, being so slight of frame in the first place, but she's starting to feel the difference, and she doesn't want to consider how much harder it's going to be in a couple of months. The weight and change of her slowly expanding belly is making her move in different ways, and after being on her feet so long, she just wants to sit and relax for five minutes.

Howard, however, looks nervous. He's tired too, she can see, but he's preoccupied by something, and she should be more alert to it, but she just doesn't have it in her.

"What's up, Howard, what's bothering you?"

"Eve, I wonder if… that is to say… you see I think-"

"Spit it out or I'll Heimlich you" she deadpans.

"You wouldn't"

"Try me"

"Fine" He gives her a look. "Eve, I want you to move in with me"

Immediately her eyes focus, and her head perks up, and her back straightens as she stops slouching in her chair and sits up.

"What?" she drawls, almost sing-song, blinking a couple of times as her brain catches up to the question.

"I was wondering if you'd move in with me"

"Howard… I…"

"I know it's forward, and I know you like your place"

"I love my place- it's a great little apartment" she agrees in a daze, not at all ready to talk so seriously, her mind whirling despite her fatigue, or perhaps because of it.

"Just hear me out"

"Howard, I can't believe you're bringing this up now…"

"It's not the first time it's occurred to me"

She squares a thoughtful all-knowing look at him, sobering and softening, and he feels a bit like an open book, but then she's always had that ability.

"And just how long have you been thinking about this?" she asks softly but seriously. Her hand moves subconsciously to rub at the crick in her hip again.

"Since we found out about Peanut"

She huffs out a laugh and shakes her head. That was almost two months ago.

"And you're only bringing it up now?"

"What can I say? I'm a wuss"

She chuckles at him. She has been getting snappy, especially after a shift such as the one they're on. She can recognise her own attitude, and is glad he's been considerate of her space and feelings. Howard has done his best to be supportive, but she's a stubborn, independent woman, and she knows she's being obstinate, but she refuses to let this pregnancy slow her down. That he's bringing it up now must mean he's starting to worry about her, and she finds the gesture sweet, if a little overbearing.

"Do you want me to move _in _in?" she asks gently, not looking at him; not ready to.

"Yeah"

She looks at him then. His tone is whisper-quiet, and very sincere. He's looking at her with wide, expressive eyes, an almost pleading look on his face, and she knows that he's now at the point where he'll fight her on this. They've been spending almost every night at his place. Half of her clothes are already there, and she has her own toothbrush, and she considers that it does make more sense for her to move in and get settled well before the baby comes.

Even so, she's been independent for so long, the thought of giving up her own apartment is daunting. It's not that she's particularly attached to the building or the room, but it feels like a very tangible gesture. It's been a long time since she's shared her space- since she was a college student scraping by with house-shares and roommates- and although they are still financially independent and there have been no promises, moving in with Howard feels like a very big, very deliberate step.

They'll be a family. A real one. She won't just be pregnant to her boyfriend, she'll be domestic with her partner. She'll be a permanent, daily presence for Jenny. She'll be making meals and doing her washing, and buying the big bottle of her shampoo to leave in the shower.

But then, they are having a baby together.

In light of that, domesticity doesn't seem so outrageous.

"I'll need some time to think about this" she says softly, but not dismissively. He notices the difference, as he usually does, and that's a great comfort.

"Take your time" he replies.

"Howard, is your place even big enough for all of us?"

"Sure it is. It's got three bedrooms, and Peanut won't be in their own for a few months"

"Okay. I'll think about it"

"Please do"

They nod at each other, and she rubs again at her hip. Finishing their drinks, she smiles at him over the table, and he returns it. She's so very in love with him. He knows he must look ridiculous, but he's found that when it comes to her, he cares less than he normally does, which isn't much to begin with.

It's later that night when she gives him her answer. They're sitting on his couch, and she's been crying. A baby, no more than a month old, had come into the ER near the end of their shift, and was lost because his own mother was addicted to drugs. They'd fought all night long for the boy, but they couldn't save him, and his heart had given in, and now they are huddled on his couch while he slowly rocks her. Howard holds his tears back for Eve's sake, content to hold her as she weeps for the baby, and clutches at the tiny bump of her stomach, subconsciously associating her grief with her own child. Between her sobs she tells him she's here to stay, and the feeling of relief that courses through him is so profound he sags back into the cushions, running his hands down her back. He's not a possessive man, but knowing the people he loves are close by is an overwhelming comfort after the night he's had.

When Jenny walks in to the living room, bleary eyed and confused, Howard ushers her over to the couch and holds her tight to his side, planting a kiss in her hair. She doesn't understand what happened, but she recognises her father's need to have her close, and she says nothing, tired as she is.

The next morning they're out to breakfast together, sitting at a small diner side by side after dropping Jenny at school.

"Howard, I meant what I said last night. I want to move in with you. I want to be a family with you"

"I'm glad. After yesterday… I can't imagine not being with you every day- not being with Peanut every day"

"I know. Me too"

"I love you, Eve. It's crazy, and it's wonderful, and it's terrifying, but I'm utterly in love with you"

She grins and ducks her head, nodding into the table somewhat demurely.

"I know what you mean, Howard, I know what you mean"

"And you don't mind giving up your place?"

"I got a better offer" she replies with a soft smile, taking his hand where it rests on the table-top.

He kisses her knuckles and then stands, gesturing to the counter where he'll pay the bill. He goes to step by her chair, but she stops him with a light hand on his arm, and before he can question her, she's tugging him down into a quick kiss.

"Good to know you're a sap too" he says with a grin, trotting off before she can reply.

She gathers her things and pulls on her jacket, meeting up with him at the door. They walk out together, and she slides her hand into the crook of his elbow, huddling close. She's never been particularly public with her shows of affection, but she had promised herself that this relationship would consist of saying 'yes', and has found a certain comfort in letting Howard take care of her once in a while. He respects her independence of character enough to see it for what it is; affirmation, rather than acquiescence, and she knows that she can trust him with that. After all, she already trusts him with her heart, and with her future, and with their child.

She likes her independence, sure. But she likes this just fine too.

She smiles to herself, and figures, why not have both.


	9. Promise Me

_I am so sorry that I've been neglecting these two. I love them dearly, and I haven't forgotten about them, but with all the writing for A Little Light Music, and my studies keeping me busy, I just haven't had the time to dedicate to revisiting these two. For those who are here with me still, forgive me. _

"_Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would, I'd never leave." ― A.A. Milne_

_Written as a prompt for skillwithaquill__: __Eve/Howard - Family reunion._

_I hope you enjoy the latest instalment. _

_**Promise Me**_

"Sam's coming to town"

She looks up from her book to see Howard standing near the kitchen, a hesitant look on his face.

"Howard, that's great" she says with a smile, putting her book down on the couch as she twists to look at him. It's not an easy move to make, with her expanding belly in the way, but she's just hit five months, and so isn't quite _huge_ yet.

Howard doesn't say anything, instead fidgets where he's standing.

"Isn't it?" she asks.

She suddenly looks worried.

"Howard, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's nothing"

"Howard"

She has a warning look in her eye, a firm expression, and he sighs and moves over to the couch to sit next to her, picking up one of her hands and absently playing with her fingers as he finds his words.

"It's just…"

"Spit it out. Why aren't you pleased about your wonderful brother coming to town to see you? Last time he was here you were practically throwing me at him, singing his praises"

Howard purses his lips, and focuses a little more on her hand in his own with an almost guilty look on his face. He won't meet her eye, and understanding hits her like a truck. She hums in recognition.

"Howard" she starts, and he finally looks at her as she ducks her head to encourage him. "Are you worried that your brother coming to town is going to cause problems because you and I are now together?"

He says nothing, but a vulnerable look crosses his face, and she could laugh at him, except he looks like a lost puppy and so she only smirks and pulls him closer so his head rests in the crook of her shoulder. His hand finds the swell of her belly, and they both feel the flutter of a kick.

"Howard, I told you what happened between Sam and me- very little, if you recall"

"I know that, I know. I just-" he stops himself with a sigh.

"You have told him about us, right?"

"Oh yeah, he knows about us, and about Peanut, and about you living here. He's aware of all that"

"Well, then, what are you really worried about?"

She shakes his shoulder with the arm that's around him, humming at him again as she rests her cheek on his hair.

"I guess I just worry that you like him better"

This time she does laugh. "Howard, if I did like Sam better than you then I certainly had my opportunity to say so"

He grins at her, and at himself, but he still feels the need to hear it from her. That Sam and her didn't start something the last time he came to visit isn't to say he's not the better option, and though Howard has no doubt of her feelings for him- she's told him she loves him almost every day for months- he thinks that, yes, maybe his ego is as fragile as she once accused it of being. Maybe he does just want a little more assurance that this amazing new life they're building together isn't about to slip through his fingers.

"I know you like me just fine-"

"Howard" she starts, and ushers him up so she can hold his shoulders and look him in the eye, hard. "I _love_ you. I love you like I haven't loved anybody before. We're having a baby, I'm living in your home"

She pauses, and cups his cheeks and brings him in for a brief, sweet kiss.

"I'm not going anywhere" she says quietly, rubbing his cheeks with her thumbs.

He leans forward into another kiss, this one far deeper, and she hums in the back of her throat as he lowers her backwards into the soft arm of the couch. It's a little more cumbersome with her stomach between them, and he's careful not to put too much weight on her, but he rests between her legs and half draped over her, and there's nowhere in the world he likes better. She smiles when they part, and he smiles too, and she runs her fingers through his hair and over his face, studying him. He just watches her eyes, enthralled as they are, and he has a theory that when she's doing this- this reviewing of his every feature- she's falling right back in love with him all over again. He knows he does the same sometimes, when he looks at something like the colour of her hair in the sun, and is suddenly reminded why he loves her so much.

She finally meets his gaze again, and a smile truly lights up her face. "I'm happy right here, Howard" she whispers, and kisses him again, softly.

"I'm glad"

She grins at him, shaking her head in mirth.

"What?"

"You and your damn ego, that's what" she says, almost laughing. "Your brother- your dear, sweet, sensitive, charming brother- comes to town, and you're worried he's gonna steal your girl. Your very pregnant, permanent roommate girl. Oh Howard…"

She half chuckles at him and he pokes her in the ribs. "It's not funny, Eve. I was having a minor crisis. You shouldn't laugh"

She stops laughing, continues smiling, and runs her fingers over his face again. "It's cute that you care"

"I do care" he says, giving her a peck on the lips before standing up. "I also care that he's expecting us for lunch in half an hour"

"What? You didn't say he was already in town"

She holds out her hands and he hauls her to her feet from her reclined position. She can still make it on her own just fine, but he likes to help, and she's getting better at accepting it.

"Yep"

She eyes him for a second, her hand going on her hip very deliberately. "Howard, did you just _vet_ me?"

He looks somewhat sheepish.

She rolls her eyes in exasperation. "Well come on, then, we wouldn't want to keep Sam waiting"

As they're walking into the restaurant a little while later, she fiddles with her blouse, and Howard stills her hand with his own.

"Now who's nervous?" he mutters to her as they're being lead to the table.

"This is the first time I've seen your brother since we got together, Howard. I'm half a house"

"Eve, you look like you swallowed a basketball, you're hardly huge. And your legs are still in great shape"

She whacks his chest with the backs of her fingers just as they approach the table, and Sam stands with a wide smile on his face, his arms held open, his eyes warm.

"Eve" he calls, low and friendly.

"Hello Sam"

She steps into his hug with a grin, instantly at ease. He pulls her back a moment later, his arms cupping her shoulders as he shamelessly sizes her up. Ordinarily she can't stand that the first thing people do these days is look at her stomach, but with Sam she gets the feeling that he's assessing every inch of her, and she smiles bashfully as his grin never wavers.

"It's so good to see you. You look positively radiant" he says.

He turns instantly to Howard and holds out his hand, and Howard pulls him into a firm hug.

"And you too" he says, slapping Howard on the back. "You haven't looked this happy in a long time, Howard. Eve, you've been good to him"

"He's not so bad" she replies, blushing as she takes a seat at the table, not all that surprised when Sam steps in to push her chair back in for her, ever the gentleman. The two men sit down as well, Sam graciously letting Howard take the chair right next to Eve, and how he ever thought this guy was a threat she'll never know.

"So tell me, how is domestic life, brother? And with Jenny too- you wouldn't know yourself having so many people around"

"It's great. Really great. I love it"

She feels him reach for her hand under the table cloth, and she doesn't fight him, because it doesn't feel possessive; it feels reaffirming.

"I love having Jenny with me, to be honest. We have a lot of fun, and I worry less, knowing she's under my roof. Better than having her move away, that's for sure"

"I bet" says Sam, politely picking up a menu to browse. "And you, Eve? How are you finding living with the caveman over here?"

Howard shoots his brother a playful glare, and Eve just grins at them both.

"I keep him in line" she quips. She feels Howard squeeze her hand.

"That's good. If you ever need wrangling tips, you have my number"

"I'll be sure to call, if it ever comes to that, don't you worry"

The two share grins over the table, and Howard looks on in mock outrage, making them both laugh. There's an ease to their banter that is comforting for everyone. That they once flirted up a storm doesn't seem to have affected their ability to communicate as friends; family, really, given the circumstances.

"I don't think it's fair that you two are ganging up on me"

The other two just laugh, and then they all spend a couple of seconds choosing from the menu and relating their order to their waitress. Eve doesn't notice the sly look that Sam gives his brother, but Howard only shrugs, a smug look on his face and nothing short of pride in his smile. Howard excuses himself quietly to go to the bathroom, and the other two watch him go for a moment before Sam turns and looks at her.

"I have to tell you, Eve, you really are the best thing that's happened to him in a long time. I haven't seen him this happy in years, and Howard is usually a pretty chirpy guy to begin with"

She turns a bit sheepish, giving a faint smile. "We're doing okay" she says with a shrug.

"I don't mean to sound petty and judgemental, but, well, it's a good thing you're not like his ex-wives- he doesn't need another like that"

She laughs, because it's an odd comment and she doesn't know what else to do, but she understands what Sam is saying. She's met both of Howard's ex-wives, though she's had more to do with Sheila because of Jenny. She knows that she's not the kind of woman that they seem to be; strong and feisty, but with an underlying need to be needed; clingy in their relationships. She knows that Sam knows how difficult it was for her to let go of her stubbornness enough to give this relationship a shot.

"I've never been the kind of woman who needs a man" she starts, and Sam gives her a smile that she finds hard to interpret. "But I have to say, I've liked letting him take care of me a little bit. Your brother is very good for that"

"Independence can be a very lonely place" he says with a nod, perhaps a little too knowingly, and she hums thoughtfully at his words, agreeing with that assessment based on her life before Howard.

"And what about those ex's? Have they given you any trouble?" he asks. His brow is furrowed, and he looks genuinely concerned for her, and she finds it sweet, if a little misplaced.

"Not really. They stay out of our business, I stay out of theirs. I've spoken to Sheila briefly on the phone a couple of times, when she calls for Jenny, but since her wedding she's been nothing short of lovely"

"That's good" says Sam seriously. "The last thing you want is to be caught in some catfight with a jealous ex"

She only laughs again, just as Howard is making his way back to the table, the conversation officially over. She's not sure what Sam was saying, under it all, but she thinks he was maybe doing some vetting of his own, and she only shakes her head as she stands and excuses herself to go to the bathroom before lunch arrives. She's amused by the Sheinfeld need to protect her. She can't fault them, because it is nice to be looked out for, but she is thankful that they both seem to understand that she's a grown and capable woman who doesn't need rescuing from anybody.

Howard and Sam watch her walk towards the bathrooms, and Sam takes a second to size up his brother; the smitten grin, the gooey eyes, the way he just can't take his gaze away from her as she walks away. If it wasn't so genuine Sam would start heaving into a bucket. But he's so happy that his brother has found such a good match, and he can't spoil it, even in jest.

"She's good for you, Howard" he says instead.

"Don't I know it" replies Howard, shifting is gaze to Sam.

"I mean, really good for you- exactly what you deserve, and exactly what you need"

"How do you mean?" asks Howard, sensing a deeper meaning in his words.

"I mean, she works hard and she's fiercely self-reliant, despite the fact she's madly in love with you. And I mean that in a good way- she won't mooch off you like Phyllis, and won't play head games with you like Sheila. I mean, Howard…" says Sam, leaning forward meaningfully. "… that you better snap her up and put a ring on that finger before somebody else does"

"Third time's the charm?" asks Howard, though the serious look on his face contradicts the joke.

"If it's the right girl. You must have talked about marriage?"

"Well with everything else… Sort of. Not really"

"What does that mean?"

"Well, she moved in with me. And we're having a baby. And we've both kind of said it's for keeps. But I haven't actually brought it up with her, no"

"And do you know how she feels about it?"

"I think she'd prefer to be married for Peanut- she mentioned once that she always thought marriage came _before_ babies, not after…"

A look of slow realisation starts on Howard's face, and Sam can only smirk as he watches it unfold, the many fragments of conversation coming back to his brother in waves.

"Don't you think it's time to have that discussion?" says Sam with a grin.

Their conversation is cut off by the arrival of Eve at the table, and she runs her hand over Howard's shoulder just once as she lowers herself into her chair.

"You boys find something interesting to talk about?" she asks with a grin, knowing full well that Sam would have cornered Howard just like he did with her.

"Interesting. Yes" says Howard.

Their food arrives only a short while later, and the conversation becomes casual. Sam tells them about a woman he's been seeing, and she sounds like a winner, and Howard tells him about a hilarious patient that came into the ER on their last shift. Eve wasn't working that night, and so listens in as he describes a man high as a kite, asking Julie every two minutes if she'd marry him. They talk about sport, but only briefly, and then about the latest movies they've each seen. Catching up with Sam proves to be a relaxing, enjoyable afternoon, and as she watches the two joke and laugh at something only they find funny, Eve thinks it's funny that Howard was so nervous. Sam is nothing but supportive of them, and she hopes it works out with the woman he's seeing. He's a good man.

She feels Howard's hand resting casually on her leg over coffee- herbal tea for her- and she smiles. She's really settling into this domestic thing, a lot better than she thought she would. It doesn't feel strange to lay her hand over Howard's and claim him right back. In fact, it feels wonderful.

With one hand on his and the other resting on her expanding belly, Eve thinks there's very little else she needs in life. And if her mind fleetingly wanders to a dazzling diamond ring, well, she keeps that thought for another day and turns her mind back to the conversation; a quip about giraffes that she doesn't get, and a boisterous laugh from Sam. She just grins and shakes her head. Life is pretty fantastic, actually, and isn't that just the icing on the cake.


	10. Short Easy Words

_-It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?" - Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne-_

_I'm finding these two again. I love them dearly, and promise to devote more time to them now that I'm not working full time, and exams are over. Funny that uni going back actually affords me more time, but if you're still here, please know I appreciate and adore you- you're a patient reader. _

_This chapter is a long time overdue. I hope you enjoy._

_**Short Easy Words**_

"I can't believe you're actually going to eat that"

She looks up and sees Howard opposite her, his nose scrunched as much as it possibly can be and a look on his face that frankly makes her want to burst into giggles. His revulsion is obvious.

"You've done this twice now, and you can't believe a heavily pregnant woman is willing to eat a pasta salad sandwich?"

She lets out a little laughing huff at him, and then opens her mouth wide and takes a huge bite of her sandwich, moaning in joy as she chews. Howard visibly shudders in disgust and goes back to his own food for a moment. It's not much of a dinner, but it's what she feels like tonight.

She's just reached seven months, and though she still looks like she swallowed a basketball, Peanut is now out and proud in the world, stretching any clothes she still squeezes into and demanding a whole new set of skirts and pants. She'd despaired the first time her zipper wouldn't do up, and Howard had spent half an hour holding her as she cried, and convincing her she was as beautiful as ever. She hadn't believed him until they got back home that night, and he told her again and again, in every way, and then she was finally convinced, and thoroughly satisfied. Since that breakdown she's been embracing her pregnancy; as a doctor she doesn't often see it up close, and as a woman it's a process she's been desperate to experience firsthand.

Work has been slow tonight, not that she's going to risk saying anything out loud, lest fate intervene. She's just about ready to go on maternity leave, and Howard won't let near anything that even remotely looks like a risk. She's going stir crazy, but she understands that he frets because he cares.

"So Eve"

"Hmm?"

"I was going to ask you something"

"What is it, Howard?" she asks around another mouthful. He seems to change his mind about something, or looks slightly more sheepish, but before she can question it he covers it up with something else.

"About the nursery" he says quickly, finishing his dinner with a final bite and watching her do the same.

"I was going to organise all that once you've placed me under house arrest"

He shoots her a glare. If it was up to him she would already be at home with her feet up. She only smirks back at him. They're both working through to 1am tonight, which he's not happy about for her, but lives with anyway. She has to remind him that she's pregnant, not a cripple. It helps that she's still so petite- he almost forget sometimes just how far along she is.

He goes quiet again, and she waits patiently for him to blurt out whatever it was that he was going to say before but didn't. "What is it Howard?" she prods, light and encouraging, and the fact that she's positively glowing when she meets his eye helps.

He bites the inside of his cheek, looks around as though searching, checks that the door is still closed, and then abruptly pulls his chair back and lands on the floor next to her. She only realises what he's doing when she sees he is literally on one knee.

"Marry me?"

He spits the words out, as though afraid that if he says them slowly he won't finish, or she'll have time enough to think about it. He takes one of her hands and she squeezes it as her eyes go wide and her mouth falls open.

"What?" she whispers.

"Will you marry me, Eve?" he repeats, softer and slower than before, deliberate and fierce in that way he has when he really wants her to listen. Her grip doesn't let up on his hand, and he takes that as a very good sign.

"Howard" she whispers, and tears spring up in her eyes, and he can see that he has completely taken her by surprise, and so he refuses to freak out until she's regained her senses. She wouldn't want him to move until she's had time enough to process what he's asking. They've talked about marriage in a far away, maybe-someday kind of way; as an abstract kind of future, when the three of them (plus Jenny and David of course) are a real little family. But they have never put any kind of timeline on it, and never really taken it seriously. He assumes she is as open to the idea as he is; he really does think third time could be the charm. Since Sam's visit a couple of months ago it's been playing heavily on his mind. He isn't afraid of losing her or anything like that- they are crazy about each other and this time genuinely feels different. But he wants to do this right, and he knows that marriage means more to her than she would ever admit; that she longs for the normalcy that a wedding ring conveys and the security of living the dream. She's not a shallow person- she could live without it- but he has heard the way she speaks, and knows it is something she wants on top of the career and a family.

"Will you?" he whispers, looking her dead in the eye. A couple of tears escape and run down her cheeks. The Eve of old would never have allowed herself that weakness without hiding it, but since her pregnancy she's been more open to showing him her emotions. He thinks sometimes she has to remind herself to show him these things- that it's all part of being a team. He's proud of her for that, because he knows it isn't easy for her, and he's thankful she makes the effort for him.

She nods a couple of times, a watery smile on her face. "Yes, Howard, yes, of course I will, yes" she says, laughing through her tears and wiping her cheeks with the hand not still firmly held in his.

"Oh thank God" he breaths. He pulls her into a hug from where he's kneeling on the floor. She laughs at him, her hands letting go only long enough to wrap around his neck. He clutches her tightly.

"Oh no" he gasps, suddenly pulling back from her. She looks a bit startled, but her hands stay on his shoulders.

"What?"

"I left the ring at home. I didn't plan on just blurting it out like that, I was going to take you to dinner, give you a foot rub, maybe try and seduce you, and then catch you in a moment of weakness- I don't have the ring here, oh I've done this all wrong-"

He stops and looks at her as he notices her shoulders are shaking and her lips are pursed in silent giggles, looking at him with the greatest fondness. When he looks in her eye she lets a burst of laughter escape, and he glares at her good-naturedly.

"It's not funny, Eve, I was going to do this properly and now I've gone and-"

She crashes her lips against his and he falls silent, and though they rarely indulge in these moments at work, he takes pleasure in simply taking a few moments to enjoy the feel of her wrapped all around him, her arms once again around his neck.

She breaks with a smile and a half chuckle in her throat. "Howard, I don't care how you propose to me, just so long as you mean it"

"Of course I mean it" he says. His voice is raspy.

"Well then, that's all that matters to me" she whispers, and she kisses him again.

"If I ask you again, properly, tonight when I have the ring, can you act surprised and still say yes?"

She giggles at him. "You can ask me again with the ring, Howard, and I will still say yes" She kisses him one more time and then pulls away and caresses his face, a look on her face that just melts him. "Yes, yes" she whispers.

"What a relief" he says, teasing her. "I was so worried"

She scoffs at him, a smile on her face, and then groans when she hears the tell-tale sound of sirens a few blocks away, and the shrill voice of Maria calling in the patient.

"Duty calls" he mutters, running his hand through her hair and kissing her again. "You stay here- I'll call you if I need an extra set of hands"

"Howard-"

"Do administrator-y things for a while. Write up some reports, do staff evaluations, annoy Stickley… I'll call if I need you"

She rolls her eyes, but nods at him with a half-smile. "Fine, fine. I'll stay in my corner like an invalid" she grouches.

"Thank you"

"Oh, and Howard? Tell Thor I'm approving her long weekend"

"What's that for?" he asks. He knows nothing about a long weekend request, and is suddenly concerned. She's been nothing but upbeat during her treatment, and hasn't missed an hour's work. They've all rallied for her, and Ace more than anyone has stepped up and taken on more work, but Howard doesn't know what the weekend is about, and is frightened.

"Her last treatments" says Eve, her expression restrained yet hopeful.

"Are you serious?" says Howard.

"Mmm-hmm. I don't think she wanted anyone to know, just in case it didn't work out- you know how she is. But if it all goes well, this should be her last big hit and then she's in remission. Her oncologist is quietly optimistic"

Howard looks positively teary, his hands on his hips and his lips pursed as though to hold in his joy. They both know that with cancer anything could happen; that too often people jump the gun and believe themselves to be in the clear when they're not. But Thor's been fighting this for a year now, a brief period of respite interrupted when the cancer returned, and it looks like a vigorous round of treatment has finally knocked it back for good. As doctors they would never say she was forever cured. As her friend they can only hope. She nods at Howard to say that she agrees; she's positively giddy over the fact that she'll be okay, and just in time for the baby to come too.

"I'll let her know her day off has been approved" says Howard. His voice is thick in his throat.

"Stop it, you'll make me cry" she says softly, half laughing, her eyes already watering as she watches the pure joy on Howard's face. She knows that he and Thor are particularly close.

He just nods and walks to the door. He stops with his hand on the doorknob and turns back to her. "I love you" he says.

"I love you too. Now off to work"

He salutes her and then saunters out into the ER with a grin on his face and a spring in his step. She smiles in his wake, and then rubs her eyes of its tears, her other hand resting on her belly.

Many hours later the door to the break room opens and Howard walks in, exhausted but happy. She had attended to one patient in the meantime, but Howard had insisted she stay out of the way when a drugged adolescent was admitted; he didn't trust the kid not to turn violent and didn't want to risk Eve getting hurt. She had grumbled, but the others had everything under control, so she did as she was asked and caught up on paperwork in the break room.

"Time to go home?" she asks with a smile. Howard sighs and walks over to her, slumping against her shoulder. She oomphs under his weight, but pats his hip all the same, grinning at him. He rubs her shoulder.

"Let's ditch this party" says Howard. "Our replacements just arrived"

"Sounds good"

They quickly gather their things and leave together, saying goodnight to the staff still in the ER. There was a time when they would have gone in separate cars, for the sake of propriety, but now their proximity is as natural as air. Nobody blinks when they leave arm-in-arm, discussing their dinner plans or whatever else is on their mind.

Eve grins when they walk in the door and set their things down. They're both working again tomorrow afternoon, so have to get to bed soon, and Jenny is long asleep. But she remembers that Howard proposed to her tonight, and can't stop the stupid grin on her face as they walk in the door and she realises that this place is truly her home. Not that it hasn't felt that way before, but there is something so permanent about marriage, and though Howard has done it before, she hasn't, and all of the emotions that were absent before come to the surface, and she's giggling before she can stop herself.

"What's so funny?" asks Howard.

"No, nothing" she says, waving him off.

He must realise something is up though, and maybe even knows what she's thinking, because he drags her to the bedroom and pushes her to sit on the edge of the bed. "Stay there" he says. She nods and smiles, listening to him make his way to his side, open his draw and then close it again.

He steps around to face her, and straightens his face comically before kneeling very deliberately in front of her. In his hand is a small black box, and she's teary again before she can stop it, cursing her hormones all the while. He takes her hand and turns serious, looking her in the eye.

"Eve Sheridan. I love you, and I love that you're having my baby, and I want to spend the rest of my life fighting with you and then having great make-up sex" She laughs and lightly whacks his shoulder. "But mostly I want to spend the rest of my life loving you, by your side. Raising our family and working together. And there is no-one on this earth I love fighting with more. And no-one on this earth I love more than you-"

"Except your kids" she says with a smirk that turns into a cheeky grin.

"Will you let me finish?"

"Sorry. Continue"

"Thank you" he says with mock indignation. "I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my days with you. Eve, will you do me the honour-" He opens the box and holds the ring towards her, and a few tears fall again. "-of nagging me for the rest of our lives?"

She half laughs, and then scoffs at him and gives him a look. "That was a terrible proposal" she says with an affected huff. He grins, and then sits next to her on the bed, angled towards her, the box still open and waiting. She angles her own body to look at him too, their thighs touching, and his free hand comes up to tuck her hair behind her ear. He leaves it to rest against her cheek, and her eyes slip closed with an emotional hum.

"Eve" he whispers tenderly.

"Yes Howard?"

Her eyes open again to meet his, and he is smiling at her will all his love. She still gets very self-conscious under that look; it's hard for her to rationalise being so important to another person.

"Will you marry me?"

She smiles, all toothy and bright, and then nods. "Yes. I will marry you"

He sweeps her into a tight embrace, rocking her against him, and she laughs over his shoulder and hugs him right back. He lets her go after a long time, kisses her firmly, and then pulls away to look at her. There are tears in his eyes too.

"Well? Does a girl have to put her own ring on, or what?"

He grins at her and then pulls the ring from its case and holds it up, and she raises her hand for him. He wiggles it on to her finger and watches as it falls perfectly into place- he already took a peak for her ring size before he bought it. He watches her face as she watches her hand; her eyes are wide as she looks at the diamond nestled perfectly on her finger.

"Howard, it's perfect" she mutters, her voice choked with emotion.

"I'm glad you like it"

"Oh, I love you" she sighs, kissing him. "I love you so much"

He spends a good few minutes kissing her, muttering over and over how much he loves her, because he has no other words to describe how happy he is that she's agreed to be his wife. At some point during his make-out session he has laid her back on the bed, and then she hums, deep in the back of her throat and he is suddenly very aroused.

He pulls back, and then slowly and deliberately runs his hands under her blouse, pushing the material up as he goes. She smiles at him under hooded lashes, her fingers subtly undoing the buttons on his shirt, and then she pulls her arms away just long enough to pull the blouse over her head in one go.

They stare at each other as she scoots further onto the bed, and he follows, and before long they are both naked and worked up, lips almost bruised from kissing. He looks her over, slow and deliberate, and runs his hands over her skin, and over the life inside her. She whimpers with emotion at that. He lies down next to her and encourages her to rise above him, and then she's on top of him and all over, and his hands can't touch her enough. They make love slowly, savouring the different feelings and the fact they have to accommodate her stomach. He whispers encouragement, and tells her he loves to see her like this; that she's never looked sexier. She moans his name because his words run straight through her.

Later they fall asleep tangled together, her back against his chest, their hands entwined over their baby. A few more tears leak from her eyes, and he kisses her neck and hums into her skin. Amazing to think that just a year ago she had none of this, she thinks, but says nothing as they both fall further into sleep, her ring comforting and heavy on her finger. It feels foreign to have a ring on that hand; she thinks she'll soon get used to it though. He whispers _I love you_ and she says it right back, just before sleep takes them.

Three simple words, she thinks, can change an awful lot.


	11. Till You're Having Them

_This has been a necessary chapter that had to be written but doesn't feel up to standard, so I'm very quickly working on the next one. Thank you for reading, and for being so patient with me and this story. It's a labour of love to write for these two- so much story, so little canon. As always, read, review, but mostly enjoy. _

_They're funny things, Accidents. You never have them 'till you're having them. _

_- Eeyore, Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne_

'_**Till You're Having Them**_

"Oh no" she drawls, clutching a hand to her stomach. "No way. This is not happening"

Eve staggers from the lounge to the kitchen, picking up the phone and quickly dialling the number for the E/R. It takes some time to get there, by the time she hauls herself out of the couch cushions and waddles over to the bench, but she makes it well before another rolling pain shoots through her stomach.

She's been feeling crampy all day, but didn't mention it to Howard when he left for work because only two weeks ago she'd had Braxton Hicks and he'd just about shut down the hospital to get her checked out. But she can feel that this time it's different. The cramps have been slow and steady, and hadn't eased when she'd had some water or change positions. And though she's been denying it all morning and into the early afternoon, she knows it's the real thing now, as the cramps start to even out and get stronger. She can feel the change in herself, and it's both fascinating and terrifying.

She places the call to the E/R and tells Julie to let Howard know. She knows it will only send him into a panic, but she needs to let him know that she's coming so he can thoroughly freak out and then have Thor knock him into shape. She's too distracted to do it herself today.

"Eve" he breaths, rustling the phone as he puts it to his ear. "Eve, are you okay, are you stable- should I call an ambulance to get you, how far apart are the contractions, are they-"

"Howard" she snaps, stopping his rant. She grins a little bit, though he obviously doesn't know that she finds his worrying adorable. He's done this twice, whereas this is her first time. She should be the one in a blind panic. "Howard, I'm fine. Take a deep breath and listen to me"

"I'm listening"

"Good. I'm in early stages, I've been having contractions all morning and they're only now starting to get stronger"

She takes a few deep breaths as another cramp hits, and she knows he can probably hear her but he's got a handle on himself now; he stays quiet and attentive.

"I'm going to catch a cab to the hospital, Howard, and I want you to be ready for me once I arrive"

"We'll be ready; I'll bring a chair over and take you straight upstairs"

"That's good. Okay" she breaths, nodding though he can't see her. "Well, I'm going to go now and grab my bag and call a cab-"

"Eve…"

She pauses, her building fright halting as she hears his voice change on the phone. "What is it Howard?"

"I love you"

"I love you too" she chokes. She berates herself for pausing even for a minute. This is new and very scary, and she wishes that Howard was with her.

"I'll be here waiting" he promises. She nods, a faint goodbye in her throat as she hangs up and immediately picks up the receiver again to dial for a cab. After making the call she grabs her coat and waddles to the door, picking up the small overnight bag that's been sitting there for two weeks. She knows Howard can come back and collect anything else they've forgotten.

For a moment she panics that nothing is ready, and then forces herself to think of the beautiful nursery that was finished a month ago, and the furnishings that she's been sprucing in her nesting phase while she's been cooped up at home. She breaths herself through the next contraction and then closes the door firmly behind her. She tells herself that it will be fine.

She rests her hand over her belly while she's sitting in the cab, rubbing gently as though to remind her baby that it's okay. It's suddenly overwhelming to think that the little life inside her will soon be out in the world, looking at her; a real little person.

"You okay?" asks the driver, looking at her in the rear-view mirror as she grimaces, her hand on her belly.

"I'm fine. Just get us there in one piece" she replies, offering him a little smile.

He nods back at her and then turns his full attention to the road, obviously satisfied that he's not about to have a hysterical pregnant woman in his cab. They soon pull up to the front entrance, and true to his word Howard is standing with a wheelchair waiting for her.

"Eve" he hums as he embraces her, lowering her slowly into the chair and thrusting a large amount of money at the cabby. "Keep the change" he calls, just as he grabs her bag and closes the door again.

"Thanks man. Good luck"

The cab drives away just as Eve takes the bag and sets it on her knees. Howard quickly starts wheeling her to the entrance of the hospital, and for a moment she thinks he missed his calling as a rally driver.

"Howard, the chair was hardly necessary, I can walk just fine"

"Indulge me. You have no idea how much I want to freak out right now"

She laughs a little at him. "Shouldn't I be the one freaking out?"

"Oh no, this is normal" he says factually. "Dad freaks out all through the early stages, and then right when the big show happens he pulls himself together enough to be your knight in shining armour, big and strong and ready to have his hand crushed"

She laughs at him again, and can't help as it turns into a low moan just as another wave hits her. They get to the elevator, it immediately opens for them, and he hits the button for the delivery ward. She grabs for his hand just as the doors are closing.

"Howard?"

"Yeah?"

"Just tell me one thing" she says, and he doesn't think he's ever heard her sound so small.

"What is it?"

"That it's all going to be okay"

He crouches down next to her chair and rubs her belly as his other hand threads through her hair. "It's going to be fine, Eve. Just fine"

She nods at him, and he kisses her softly until the doors ding.

They are surprised to see Cory waiting for them when the doors open, and she smiles as they exit the elevator. Eve has found it sometimes awkward, sometimes amusing to work alongside the young woman since she and Howard started dating. Though at first sceptical and even resentful of the relationship, over time Eve has seen Cory mature and grow past it. She doesn't expect her to ever let go of her crush on Howard, but Cory has accepted she'll never be in a relationship with him. She even offers advice on babies from time to time, and after the Braxton Hicks Incident (as Eve has taken to referring to it) she has been nothing short of helpful with her guidance. Eve thinks it's sweet; all the E/R staff have rallied for her, which makes her want to cry sometimes.

"The real deal this time?" beams Cory, bobbing on the balls of her feet.

"Look like it" says Eve.

"That's so exciting, Doc Sheridan. I made sure you got Lori- I know her really well, and she's the best they got here. She'll take real good care of you"

"Thank you Cory. That's very sweet of you"

"That's no problem. Oh, I can't wait to meet him- or her!"

"Neither can we" says Howard.

They arrive at the nurse's station and Cory realises almost too late that it's time for her to go again.

"I better head back down to the E/R- make sure everything's under control"

"Thank you for waiting for us Cory"

"No problem. I'll see you guys later. Good luck!"

Thank you" calls Eve. She lowers her voice and mutters something about wondering why everyone keeps wishing her luck. Howard hears her with a smirk, but ignores the comment and instead talks to the nurse at the station, relaying all the relevant information. With a nod and a smile they are led down the hall to an examination room.

"We'll just have a look" says the nurse. "And then we can tell you whether you're ready to stay, or if you can go home and rest for the night"

"Oh, let me tell you, we are all ready go" says Eve, hissing as another, stronger contraction hits her.

"How long have they been coming?" asks the nurse. She arranges Eve on the table and pulls up her skirt; Eve is suddenly thankful she wore one. Howard stands by her head, holding her hand and rubbing her hair back.

"All day. Since I woke up, really. But they only really kicked in about an hour ago"

"Okay. Well, you're about four centimetres dilated already-"

"Four?" repeats Eve, knowing enough from medical school and more recent reading to know that she's well into early stages.

"I'd say about that. Give it a little while and you'll be in active labour. I'll go organise you a room- it looks like you're staying here Mama"

"Thank you- ah, apparently Lori is going to be our nurse?" says Howard. Eve looks on as she pulls her skirt down again.

"I'll double-check. Lori doesn't start for another hour, but if that's the case, I guess that will work out perfectly with the timing"

"Thank you" says Eve. The nurse only smiles as she walks out to give them some privacy. Howard turns back to her with a smile, and helps her sit up just as another contraction goes through her. She's getting better at managing them, though she knows they'll only get stronger. She squeezes Howard's hand.

"You doin' okay?" he asks softly.

"I'm fine. I feel better now that we're here to stay for as long as it takes"

She purses her lips at him and he does the same, though he has a knowing look on his face that she can't ignore.

"I'm terrified, Howard" she whispers. The hand clutching his squeezes a little tighter, her other hand rubbing circles on her stomach. "I've done all the reading, I'm prepared- I'm a doctor for goodness sake. But part of me is scared stiff"

"Sweetheart" he says, sitting next to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. They don't use pet-names very often, but in this instance he thinks she wouldn't mind so much. "It's okay to be nervous. This is new and exciting- something you've never done before. Something we've been waiting for a long time"

She takes a moment to lean into him and take some of his strength. It eases her, setting the anxiety aside.

"How are you so calm?" she asks, letting out a single huff of laughter while sniffing and wiping her nose. He rubs her arm, rocking her into his side. She breaths through another contraction.

"I've done this twice now" says Howard. "And let me tell you, the panic is no different no matter how many times you go through it. But I also know what's coming up for us. And I can tell you there is nothing like it, and I know you'll be great. Don't worry. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. We'll do this together, you and me, okay?"

"Okay" She let's go of his hand just long enough to run her fingers over his cheek. "I love you Howard" she whispers. He leans in and kisses her soundly, holding her close. She hums against his lips, knowing that this is the easy part; knowing that they've got a long journey ahead. She sends out a little prayer that it's not going to be one of those horror stories about labour. The thought that she's already through the first stage is comforting.

"You're gonna be great" he whispers against her lips when they part.

"Alright-" calls the nurse, wheeling in another chair and gesturing for Eve to sit. "We've got your room all ready to go, Doctors. I'll take you there now, and then we've got five hundred forms for you to distract yourselves with, you know how it goes"

Howard nods and Eve lowers herself into the chair. They quickly start walking down the hall and through the doors into the actual ward.

"Now, Lori's not in for another hour, but if you need anything, or if the show really gets started, you just let me know and I'll take care of you- I'm Nurse Pat"

"Thank you Pat, we'll keep in touch" says Eve.

"Okay honey, here we are your home away from home. Now, do you want something for the pain?"

"I'm okay for the moment, thank you"

"Are you sure, Eve?"

"Howard, I promise you, I'm fine"

Pat only smirks at them both as she's getting Eve settled onto her bed.

"You may want to walk around a bit, keep moving- it helps. And if it gets too much you send your fella here down to me and we'll hook you right up"

"Thank you Pat"

"Not a problem sweetie. I'll be back shortly to check in, and I'll go get you those forms"

And with that, Pat saunters out the door and down the hall. Eve and Howard smile after her as they watch her go.

"She's fantastic" says Eve, breathing through her pain. "She reminds me of Thor"

"I was just thinking that"

"Howard, are you covered downstairs? I don't want them short-staffed and in trouble on account of me"

"Eve, will you relax? I called Tomas, he was happy to come in and relieve me. You're having a baby for God's sake, just relax and focus on yourself for a minute"

"I can't focus on myself, I feel like I'm going crazy… Howard. I don't know if I'm ready"

He smiles at her and perches himself against her hip on the bed, half leaning over her as he looks her in the eye. "Nobody ever thinks they're ready, Eve. Trust me when I say you're going to be a terrific mother"

"You think so?" she whispers. She's never felt so uncertain of anything in her life. Until yesterday she was only excited for this baby; before that she'd always approached life head-on and with confidence. She's not sure where this sudden reticence comes from, or why she's so determined to hear from him that it's going to be okay. Later she'll blame the hormones.

"I've seen the way you are with Jenny, and how you react to kids in the E.R. I've seen how prepared you are for this baby, reading all the books and setting up the room. I know you'll be just great"

"I just feel like I don't know enough" she says, as a last-ditch attempt to try and explain her feelings.

"You know plenty- you're a doctor after all. And if all else fails, just follow your mother's instincts"

"My mother's instincts" she repeats with mirth, rolling her eyes a little with incredulity as though it's the most ridiculous thing he's ever said. She's never felt less maternal in her entire life.

"Trust me- first time you hold bub, they'll kick right in. And I'll be there to help you every step of the way"

She nods, finally a little more at ease, knowing that he'll be her back-up; that he won't let her fail. She lets him pull her into a hug, and they stay like that for a long while, waiting for Pat to get back with their forms, and relaxing while they still can.

The road in front of her looks long and daunting- the thought of what she'll have to put her body through in the coming hours is enough to send her into a tailspin. Yet at the same time she's elated; at the end of this journey she'll finally get to meet her baby- the product of her, Howard, and a lot of love. It's overwhelming to think she'll have everything she wants by this time tomorrow (hopefully… oh god hopefully by then). She snuggles into Howard and lets him take her burdens for a minute. Twirling the ring on her finger, she slowly slides it off and holds it up to him.

"Keep this safe for me. I want it back later"

He slides it on his pinky finger. It doesn't quite fit over his second knuckle, and she giggles.

"I'll put it somewhere safe" he promises.

"Not in your pocket, you'll forget about it and put it through a rinse cycle"

"Okay, fine, not in my pocket. Here-" He reaches down and picks up her overnight bag. Opening the big pocket, he digs for the small inside pocket with the zip, and then slips the ring in there and zips it closed with a flourish. "Safe as houses, right there"

"Good" she smiles.

He places the bag back on the floor and kisses her again, just as Pat comes back in with a clipboard. Eve holds Howard's hand just a little bit tighter as he reaches for the clipboard. He squeezes her hand right back. He fills in the form for her, asking the occasional question and squeezing her hand when she breathes through each approaching contraction. She feels much calmer than she did before.

They'll be just fine, she thinks. They'll get through this together.


End file.
